Feels Like Hope
by Airavata
Summary: While the Citadel celebrates its first night free of tyranny, Capable leaves its safety to make a perilous journey alone across the Wasteland. Her purpose is simple: retrieve Nux's remains or die trying. When she finds not a body, but hope, clinging desperately to his last thread of life, Capable's future is unexpectedly filled with new promise… and unforeseen consequences.
1. Chapter 1

**I felt really inspired by the amazing Mad Max writings here, so I thought I would give it a go too since this felt like a story that I needed to get out. Thanks everyone for following!**

 **A HUGE thanks to Beta Reader BlueSky509 for providing fantastic feedback and helping me improve not just my story but writing style as well.**

 **This story is just for fun, so please let me know what you think... Your feedback definitely makes my day!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE: Capable.**

Hints of movement slink back into the shadows of rock outcrops as the motorbike comes to a rumbling stop in the sand. Whether real or imagined, the creatures in the shadows haunt the corners of Capable's vision, and she tries to push this fear toward the recesses of her spine.

She thanked the gods for the full moon. The universe was her only source of light for navigation here near the entrance of the canyon, its looming wall cast in deep indigo. This far out, the thrum of the celebrations at the Citadel had been replaced by the vacuum of night. Now no sound remained but the growl of her Gold Wing. The worn path before her up the canyon escarpment had been near impossible to find in the darkness, but she didn't dare use headlights. So far she had somehow managed to evade the Buzzards and their underground burrows, who preyed on passers-by in their spike vehicles like hyenas, and she sure as hell didn't want to get caught now. There wouldn't be much left of her or her rig if she did. It wouldn't be surprising if the low hum of her bike stirred some interest among sleeping camps, but with the vast space between the Citadel and canyon, and sand stifling most sound, pursuit would be difficult and thus unlikely.

Furiosa had mentioned offhand during their arduous journey the day earlier that the Buzzards tend to inhabit the north face and guard the entrance, so Capable had made sure to offset the pass by a half mile south. However, the Rock Riders could be anywhere up ahead – hidden in caves or on her very path – but if she was really going to go through with this, that was an unavoidable hazard. The route itself was nothing to dismiss, either. Glancing up, the path looked quite treacherous and steep, but at the halfway mark it appeared to level out. The plan was to summit and then make a gradual descent to the wreckage by traversing along the sandy dunes. Her eyes took in the immense rock formation. Its looming presence glared her down, mocking her. Capable tightened her dark scarf to conceal her conspicuous pale skin and grasped the handles. _This was it._ Kicking a large spray of sand in its wake, her ride shuddered to life into low gear as she carefully left the quiet safety of the dunes to ascend the rocky escarpment. As she moved up the ridge, the night wind spun up more wisps of sand, stinging her eyes and making her chastise herself for not bringing some goggles as planned. She had meant to grab Nux's pair that she had stashed in Joe's commandeered and battered Gigahorse, but in her rush to leave undetected, it had slipped her mind. Hell, after their ordeal today, there was already enough taking up the space.

She felt filthy. It had been barely 12 hours since their conquest of the Citadel, and it was nothing but bittersweet. All around her had been the roar of water and cheers, but it existed as an deafening echo outside herself. The louder the crowd had become, the faster the seed of a single thought – _to return to that dreary grave_ – grew. Completely, utterly reckless, sneaking out like this. Her better judgement was screaming profanities at her, but she ignored it. Furiosa would probably be Furious–a. Capable smirked to herself as she skirted a boulder, trying hard to fill her head with anything but fear. _Oh Capable, you're so_ _droll._

Once halfway up the escarpment, she paused briefly on a ledge and looked up at the cloudless sky. Her star was still there, this time a little higher overhead. Upon leaving the safety of the Citadel, she had selected the brightest star that aligned with the entrance of the canyon. Since Capable knew she would be heading due east, she reasoned that it could be used as a rough navigation tool. Capable turned back to the dim glow of the Citadel. It would be higher in the sky as the morning arrived, pointing her way home when she got back in a few hours. _If she got back._ A small satellite crossed her star's path, shouting empty words that no one would ever hear.

~o~

A half hour or so had passed. With the hardest part of her route now far behind her, Capable was finding that she was getting the hang of her bike's personality over the rocky path. She had ridden often as a girl, long before being stolen away into her nightmare as a breeder, so she was glad that some memory hadn't faded from her muscles. She had Roads to thank for that, all those years dragging her on supply runs. _Roads..._ However, this bike was HUGE. Capable had to lean forward in order to properly reach the handles, making her feel unbalanced when changing gears. A sick feeling returned at the thought of what might await her when the War Boys found out she had borrowed one of their rides. In the revelry, it really hadn't been that difficult. Fortunately the boy at the watch post was more than happy to allow her through for a bottle of guzzoline, also "borrowed" from the Gigahorse.

 _Almost to the top,_ Capable thought as she maneuvered over a small pile of rocks, when suddenly the stones gave way under her back tire. Her massive bike toppled onto her and began to skid down the cliffside, pulling her with it. "Son of a...!"  
Her bike accelerated as she frantically tried to jam her boot into the loose rocks to arrest their descent, feeling the burn of gravel and the heat of exhaust on her leg. After a terrifying drop, the ground leveled out and her back tire caught a small boulder, stopping them both in their tracks right before a long shadow carved into the canyon's wide ledge.

Capable picked herself and the bike up, and as she pulled chunks of gravel out of an ugly scrape in her knee, she glanced down to her left. _That's no shadow._ Her foot was a mere yard away from the mouth of a massive crevice into the belly of the canyon. She drew a few hitched breaths, and with the utmost concentration slowly placed her full weight onto her injured right leg, leaning away from the narrow fissure that threatened to suck her into the void. If her bike were to slide any further, she would have to let the crevice swallow it and try to leap out of the way. Hopefully it would not have to come to that.

She started the bike again to a slow purr, and was able to gently ascend forward to a more level ridge away from the crevice. _Well that was stupid._ Up to now she had been relying on the stars and moonlight alone not be spotted, and it hadn't occurred to her that her likely demise could involve careening into a crevice cloaked by shadow. Clearly there were greater dangers than wandering hyenas. _I have to be more careful._

This touch with death was not enough to deter the single seed of thought that had brought her all the way here. In fact, it only helped nourish its growth with a stubborn determination that she was known for, even in her namesake. The crevice was now a distant thought as she ascended the worn trail under the watchful eye of her star. With another few revs of gas and a final push, she emerged on the top of the canyon ridge and was well on her way.

~o~

Rolling over dune after dune, Capable made her journey along the ridge following the path of destruction below. It seemed to go on endlessly, and as soon as a creeping concern emerged that she may have overshot her mark, she spotted the canyon arch in the distance. She switched off the ignition and scanned the area. The night wind was picking up, sending a spray of dune that obscured her vision.  
There. She saw the carcass below, still smoldering, her belly exposed to the sky and trailer disemboweled from the collision. She had never imagined it would be this bad. Although Capable had watched as the great beast of a machine lurched intentionally to the right and begin to roll, she had closed her eyes right before impact with the ground and stone. There was nothing that could have willed her to witness it in full, in spite of her unspoken promise to Nux. A wave of guilt rushed over her at the thought of not fully completing her promise. She had done her duty as best she could. There was nothing more unbearable than watching a friend die.

Capable descended into the canyon valley, maneuvering around strewn debris, and brought her bike to a stop near the War Rig's carcass. The air was tart with iron and stung Capable's airways, and she spat out the lingering taste of fuel and day old flesh. The precious double V8 lay cast on the ground, a few meters away. _Our savior.  
_ Suddenly, Capable felt ill with regret. Knees beginning to buckle, she wanted to be anywhere else but this forsaken graveyard. _Even in Immortan Joe's vaulted prison? Anywhere..._ The thought of seeing Nux's lifeless body (or – gods forbid – parts) was ghastly.

 _Why have I done this?_ Capable closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and found some resolve. Because it was the _right_ thing to do. They each had Nux to thank for their lives and freedom – from revving the engine, to pulling them from the moor using the tree thingy, to his noble sacrifice in death – it was the honorable thing to do. Even if Nux's spirit was dining in Valhalla or wherever at this moment, his person needed to be where he was celebrated, too.

Gritting her teeth, Capable glanced around in the shadows with eyes better adjusted to the darkness, and made out a few lumpy shapes of bodies. There was a good chance he had been thrown from the wreckage. Clicking her tongue in frustration, it soon became clear that this wouldn't be cut and run. In spite of the temptation, she needed to resist using her headlights, or risk drawing attention to herself. She only had four or five hours left before daybreak to get back, so she would have to move fast. A topless body lay slumped over a twisted axle not far from the Doof Warrior's rig. Her heart jumped at the sight of white flesh, currently being gnawed at by something unseen, but the form was too small to be him.  
This was not what she had anticipated. _Why the hell did War Boys have to look the same?_

Her eyes stung even more from the dust, which was now spinning in tendrils within the canyon's enclosed valley.

 _Well maybe he wasn't thrown._ Reluctantly, she turned her attention to the War Rig and inched towards it until she was a few feet away, then crouched to peek into the overturned cabin. _There._ Wedged at the backseat on his side. She could make out in the dim light the shape of a pale back streaked with fluid and shadows. So he hadn't been thrown. _Poor Rev-head. What have you done to yourself?_

The window was completely smashed and fortunately there would be enough space to crawl inside. Capable wrapped two pieces of thick cloth from the ride around her wrists. The air was a sick cloud of death. _This was no place for a wife._ Fortunately, that woman was long gone the moment she had hid into the belly of the war beast. Capable took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and crawled inside.

~o~

After many minutes passed of cutting knees on glass, panting, and struggling in near total darkness, Capable had managed to pull Nux's upper half through the windshield. With a final heave, the rest of him also emerged from the vehicle, and Capable dragged him into a sandy spot close to her bike. His body rocked almost in slow motion as she lowered his shoulders to the ground. Here she was able to get a better look at him. A ring of glass lay in the sand near his head like a ghastly crown. Under the dim moonlight, she saw a face completely crusted in black blood that could have been war paint, in some better time. A rib protruded from his side, seeping greyness into the sand.  
Capable crouched in a tight ball at the crown of his head. Staring down, she spoke in a half-whisper through clenched teeth while her head screamed: " _Godammit Nux, What have you done to yourself. Hell, I'm not ready for this. I can't see you like this. Why the fuck did I come here?! This isn't how I wanted to see you again! Not like this! Why couldn't you have been burnt or blown to nothingness instead. Now this is how I have to remember you? Godammit Nux, why did you do this to me?"_ Tears dripped and splattered in the dust and pooled on his still cheek. Tightness filled her chest and Capable stifled a sob, swallowing it to her center where everything needed to be kept boxed away, lest draw attention to herself. Survival depended on that resolve.

After giving herself a few moments, Capable stood up again and glanced around with a new determination. _Well I'm here now. Might as well get him on the bike._ This was not going to be easy, and the new position of the shadows meant time was growing short. One good thing was that she was glad to have had the foresight of bringing lots of rope. Crouching on her knees, Capable reached under his arms again and lifted, pulling his head and shoulders onto her lap. _Oof!_ Letting him rest for a moment, she thought carefully about the plan of action; she needed to save her strength in order to be able to leverage his body onto the bike behind her. For a moment she scowled at the thought that Furiosa or Toast would be able to do this, no problem. She was already spent from getting him out the cabin, so she probably only had it in her for one good go. Her head spun with this realization. However, something else was unsettling her. For a corpse, he was surprisingly limber...and...warm.

Before the thought could fully register, a rasping noise escaped the body and echoed in the narrow canyon walls with chilling resonance. Capable jumped backwards, dropping Nux's upper half down into the sand with a dull thud.

Capable gathered her sensed and leaped onto all fours to get a better look at his face in the darkness. She pushed the tangle of braids out of her eyes. Again, she heard the noise like a bubbling suction of his…body decaying? _No!_ A strained, wet breath.

 _It's not possible._ Capable leaned over and touched the stained face hidden behind a mask of dirt and dried blood. He's...

"NUX!"

Something somewhere must have registered, since his eyes opened the smallest of slivers where she could just make out the reflection of starlight.  
 _Not possible. He can't be. It's not..._ And then, before Capable's eyes, Nux returned to the world when the side of his lip turned up in a slight smile. Her resolve was all but lost, for thick, aching sobs pushed forth from the deepest pool in her being. She threw herself forward, tightly wrapping her arms along his chest and jaw as she pressed her face into his warm wet neck, as close as she could get. Her lips made their way from his jawline to cheek and finally to his blood-caked mouth. Holding herself there, she cried into him, and the canyon cried back to her.

Finally pulling herself away, Capable rubbed her own eyes furiously. The dirt, dust, and tears had mixed and made her own vision difficult. She wanted to look, to see him, to make sure what was in front of her was real, but her eyes stung and her body convulsed. She tried to mouth words but another sob took its place _._ The face below blinked again and looked up to her rubbing her eyes. A few labored breaths, then a slurred mumble came from his charred lips. Capable stopped crying and leaned in until their faces nearly touched again. "What? I couldn't hear you. Please say it again."

The voice was barely a whisper, but it was a voice. His _voice_.

"You...should...wear...goggles."

Capable gaped at the broken and bloody face, and let out a small laugh through tears as she straightened up again. She could sense her heart begin to race until it hurt. Nux was alive. _Her_ Nux. She watched amazed as his chest rose and fell in labored but very _real_ breaths. It was not until this moment that she realized that this was the sight she had wanted to see more than anything she had ever come to known. His soft breaths were what made every struggle up to now worth it. Capable continued to watch in awe at this motion until she shook herself out of this stupor to stumble back to the bike and grab a pouch containing Mother's Milk. She moved to Nux's side and carefully brought it to his lips. With the first pour he coughed but soon managed to swallow a few mouthfuls.

How could this be real? Where could she go from here, if this was possible? As she rose up, the sand under her feet shifted differently. The air felt lighter, like the canyon was giving her some space to breathe. The world was born anew. Suddenly Capable felt ready to take on all of Gas Town, to destroy every Immortan that could terrorize and brutalize it's people...Then again, she could do all those things later. Some other time. Right now, she just wanted to bask in his life, and try to make it last a little longer. She crouched down close and placed a hand on his face to sense that glimmer of warmth. His breathing was stronger now, and Capable felt some odd confidence that she still had time with him. Maybe more. After fully inspecting his person for injuries, Capable was surprised and incredibly relived to find that he wasn't yet in his death throes. His right leg was clearly broken below the knee, and a large chunk of skin and muscle was missing from the thigh and calf. She was surprised he hadn't bled out, so the impact must have missed important arteries. She put pressure on the wound by wrapping it with her head scarf. In addition to his ribs, there was no accounting for the internal damage or spine injuries – and dropping him probably didn't help – but considering he was still alive after 12 long hours meant his life might still be salvageable. However, _there's still a rough and dangerous journey ahead of us_ , and who knows much more damage it would do.

 _Us._ Plural.

He began to drift off, so she nudged his his shoulder. "Can you feel your legs? Nux!"

The starlight highlighted Nux's grimace. "Just...the...one. My leg hurts bad."

Capable looked down and saw one foot clearly moving, while the other was twisted at an unusual angle below the knee. So he wasn't paralyzed. Yet, at least. The broken leg was another story. There was enough debris and rope around, so she ran from Nux's side and set to work as he drifted off again. Her head raced with thoughts that trampled over each other. _I still can't believe it! Oh that's a bad bruise, I hope it's not internal...How to get him back without making the hidden injuries worse? Did he damage his spine? The leg looks bad...Will he be able to walk again? I don't remember him having such soft skin...Will he even want to live? What about the cancer? No, don't think of that...He's alive! O gods, he's alive! Wait until everyone finds out!_ Her stomach twisted... _but_ _will he remember our journey? Will he remember me?_ While tying the final strip of rubber to secure a piece a radiator as a splint, a low hum came from the north. She paused, then continued tying, until it happened again. Capable froze, hoping it was just a generator...but no, there was no mistaking the rumble of a vehicle.

"Shit!"

Capable yanked the last piece to rubber to tightly secure the splint, jolting Nux awake with a groan of pain. Before he could protest, she began to drag him towards the bike and readied herself to lift. "C'mon. We're gonna to get you back. Now." Her heart pumped faster as the buzz of the distant hyenas or buzzards or vultures grew steadily into a drone. The echo of the canyon made it impossible to tell distance – they could be miles or meters away, but she expected them to appear around the corner at any moment. With rope at hand, she readied herself for the big lift. _I'll throw him over the bike if I have too!_ As the growl of motors increased, she knew they didn't have much of a chance. It was fool's bet. But now, with renewed determination of it not being just her and body, but _us_ , goddammit she was going to try.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO: Nux.  
**

Nux leaned back and rested his bare spine against the coarse rope that connected him to his source of life ahead of him. His wrists and arms were tied together tightly and looped over her small figure. _Capable_. He recalled that dusty face above his own, rubbing her eyes. He could sense relief running through his veins at the memory of her fingers on his lips, a first night not spent cold and alone under an azure sky. How is it possible she was here? He could see a flash of her drifting away on the vehicle ahead of him, reaching her arm to grasp the space between them in what he believed was their final living moment. He could recall tiny wisps of something more recent; not an image, but a scent of skin near his own and a taste other than blood on his charred lips, but he couldn't grasp the smoke and make it into a memory. As his body ached in strange ways, her presence pushed the pain somewhere far among the dunes.

The rope was pulling him in all directions. It zigzagged around his waist back to the luggage hold, and tightly restrained his extended injured leg along the length of the bike. He couldn't bend this leg, as much as he tried. However, he couldn't recall if he ever could. He really wanted to lift it to see if there was a boot or two on the end. _Boots._ After struggling to move for a few minutes, he finally relented and surrendered to the bike's motion. They moved and swayed in harmony up the canyon valley.

Nux couldn't remember how he got on this bike, or why things had to be _so_ noisy. He had been startled awake by flashes of light in the dry corners of his vision. The motorcycle tore up the ridge, spraying dust and sand around them, as hollering and excited _whoops_ came from behind. Every few seconds there would be a loud pop in which rivets of sand would spring up next to them in a strange, sporadic dance. Nux wondered what tiny, noisy creatures could be jumping from below the surface of the sand and why they seemed to follow their path. One creature bounced off the side of their vehicle near his good leg, which he reflexively flinched.

He sat up straighter, pulling against the rope, trying to get a better glimpse of them in the darkness.

"Nux, keep down!" Capable cried.

Startled, Nux pulled himself inward just as the bike made a sharp turn. She pulled around a boulder, and with a hitched voice, added, "just keep down, okay? Do you want to get shot?"

As they ascended a steep ridge, suddenly the bike choked on the sand, and he heard another clink of metal on metal. _Ohhhh. Bullets!_ The bike's back wheel squealed and shot up geyser of dust behind them, but the bike would only jerk in spurts forward. Nux admired how loud the engine roared.

"C'mon...C'mon!" Capable cried out to someone or something in the darkness.

The sudden desperation in her voice shook Nux from his fevered stupor and a single thread of fear slithered up his spine to his jaw, where it whispered a single realization: _I'm not_ _ready to die._  
In that moment, Capable's panic became instantly palpable. Nux could smell it in the dust that shot up from the immobile vehicle, and he shifted his shoulders anxiously. He sat frozen, restrained by both his fear and environment, while Capable frantically jamming the pedal. "GO, godammit!"

Nux's stomach clenched. Someone was coming. _They had to leave. Now! Now!_ He craned his neck and saw moving lights in the corner of his eyes, which only renewed the fear. The lights bounced over the dunes and he felt nauseous at the sound of motors mixed with laughter. After another eternal moment the bike jumped forward, allowing them to skirt over a boulder onto a more solid surface. The lights grew increasingly distant, but Nux still felt ill from the voices in the air. However, the sensation of her warm body in front of him helped soothe some of the tightness in his chest. Somehow he just knew she was his life. They keep going higher, higher. Capable kept silent except for a few hitched breaths.

After what felt like an eternity the lights were small specks in their wake, and Nux felt some strain release from his core. Capable stopped the bike behind a large boulder and leaned her head on the bars to catch her breath. Nux eyed her curiously. _Why is she even here for me?_

"You okay?"

Nux nodded and rested his head on her warm back, unaware or unconcerned with whether she could see his fear.

After a minute, Capable continued her way up the ridge. However, as they ascended he found himself leaning against the back of the bike, pulling poor Capable with him as she struggled to weave her bike over the stone. He knew this was making it harder on her, especially now, but he just didn't have the strength in him to resist. He wanted to help her, to drive, but he was at the bike's whim. This felt so strange. He was _never_ at a machine's whim. Not since...A sudden familiarity stirred. _His first ride on a motorcycle. He's standing in a dried up salt bed just south of the Citadel. As he looks around the flat, he feels strong arms pick him up and plunk him on the back of a restored_ _Zündapp behind another Pup and a grinning War Boy with missing incisors. As soon as he reaches back to grasp the metal bar of the luggage rack, the motorbike lurches forward at full speed. Nux nearly topples off but manages to squeeze his legs with unknown strength to stay on. The first boy only lasts 15 seconds before being tossed, making grown men whoop in delight. Then it's just Nux and the toothless driver. Nux's fingers slide along the bar, slick with sweat. The pair continue to tear around the basin, spraying salt at the bystanders. As hard as he tries to keep control, he is completely at the vehicle's mercy, his body simply an extension of the seat and engine and gears that jostle him with each swerve. When the driver makes a sharp hairpin turn, Nux finally loses his grip and tumbles into a thick dune. The older War Boys laugh. Nux gets up, shakes the salt off his skinny arms, and laughs with them.  
_

While the bullets in the sand had eventually stopped and brought some relief to the tension, the echo of engines could still be heard in the valley so Capable still kept up her pace. The landscape changed as they reached the upper escarpment, where the soft hills of the dunes were gradually replaced by massive geological formations silhouetted against a starry sky. The bike felt more unsteady now that Capable was weaving along the narrow passes between these sandstone towers. Nux instinctively tensed and pulled himself tight to her. There was a strange determination in how she guided their bike through the ancient maze, and Nux sensed that Capable had purpose in her direction. Nux briefly glanced up as they passed under a immense eroded monolith, standing on guard, which threatened to topple on them any moment...or perhaps in some other millennia.

A wind picked up and spun a whirlwind of sand in their path. It was here an odd realization occurred to Nux. This canyon was _alive_. The valley inhaled with each pass of wind and eavesdropped on the rumble of passing vehicles, which... _were they getting louder_? He had heard that the earth's plates shifted, so maybe every few million years or so the canyon gnashed its ridge of monolith teeth and taking some unaware travelers for a meal. _Who killed the world?_ Maybe the world wasn't dead after all, but it was ready for a new kind of life of granite and sand.

After some time passed of weaving their way along the escarpment, Capable slowed the bike to a crawl. She turned her head to each side, clearly searching for something. _Was it him? No._ Eventually she made a right down a small gulley in between two ridges. Hidden in the ridge was a wide depression in the stone large enough for a single vehicle. She reversed her bike into the shallow cave, cloaking them in shadow as the sound of engines grew. Nux glanced up at the ceiling of the cave's mouth, one of likely many in the canyon, and wondered if it was going to get hungry soon. The bike shuddered off and Nux felt her arms tightly grasp his own. It felt good. The sudden blackness and sucking void of the sandstone depression made his eyes feel heavy. A far away voice spoke at a whisper. "Just be really quiet now. Promise me that, okay? Just for a little while."

~o~

Nux blinked awake and found the world around him to be quite different. No longer were they walled in by rock, but out in the vastness of the Wasteland. It was quieter now. He recalled the scuffle and he remembered the riders in pursuit, flashes of light, and the bullets that reverberated throughout the canyon. However, he couldn't be certain it wasn't just a dream. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't be certain this wasn't, either.

A dull ache spread from his heel to his chest, which sharpened with each roll over the sandy slopes. Whatever chrome his body had administered to itself to numb the angry pain, it was clearly wearing off now. He sensed himself slipping to the side but he didn't resist. _Woooo!_ It all felt better at this angle. Capable yanked his arms back, but he kept sliding. The bike jerked to a stop and he felt the young woman lift his own arms over her head so she could dismount.

Gentle hands lifted his face. "You with me still?"

Null blinked in response.

"Hold on just a little longer, Nux! We're through the worst of it, I hope. Just going to tighten everything. You've been slipping a bit."

Capable fidgeted with the knots and then tied his leg tighter to the bike. He felt a sharp pinch in his calf as something give way. A familiar warm sense swam down his throbbing leg.

"Shit!" he heard her say, "shit shit shit!"

She inspected her hands, which Nux could see were streaked with shining greyness in the moonlight. "You're bleeding bad. Dammit!"  
The scarf was tightened and sent another wave of agony up to his chest. Nux moaned automatically from some instinctual wiring, neuron to brain. With eyes squeezed shut, he gasped and coughed to catch a breath again. Nux began to feel panic rising in his chest as his lungs screamed, when Capable's voice helped pull him back with a, "stay with me, okay?", and he was able to calm and breathe. _one, two, one._

Once he was secured again, Capable scrambled back on the vehicle, tossed Nux's tied arms over her person again, and they tore off into this lake of sand. After a few minutes the pain felt more distant, and Nux bid it goodbye as they rolled over it's swells. When he could finally open his eyes again, he caught sight of monstrous rock towers in the distance. _Gates of Valhalla, perhaps_. Nux felt a hint of surprise when that didn't stir much interest in him. Based on the stories he had always heard, before him was somewhat...disappointing. _Plus he didn't really want to find out if Slit had been right about the gates._ Instead, he found himself more fascinated by the sky above the tower and beyond.

"Stay with me! Just a bit longer!"

His head flopped back in wonder at the expanse of the universe. As hard as he tried, the stars wouldn't stay in focus, instead turning into an infuriating kaleidoscope of dizzying blurs. When he closed his eyes their dancing blurs stayed on his eyelids. His neck strained as he pulled back to look higher, his head flopping with each bump and turn, but soon felt a hand grab his wrists and yank him towards the front of the vessel, so that he slumped his head forward onto a pillow of soft hair. The strands tickled his face, but he did nothing to stop it, and probably couldn't even if he tried.

A voice reverberated through him. "We're so close. Don't you give up on me."

Resting a head against Capable's shoulder, riding the waves, he glanced north toward the horizon, where the tops of distant hills suddenly showed the first red hints of tomorrow's sun. Beyond these hills, the dark space between the stars was still there, reaching toward him, calling him to join them. With each throb of his leg, he felt the rusty fluid and pain leave him, and he was glad of it. It was getting colder. Now with his eyes closed, the darkness felt so inviting. He could finally be among the stars...he just had to answer their call.

~o~

A War Boy rested with weary eyes at the gate, half dazed on guzzoline fumes. It wasn't supposed to be his night at post, and the man was bitter that Rotor had ordered him to take his place on account of the "new management", aka, _an imperator and a bunch of wives. Who'dve thought._ He didn't care, really, as long as he got his place in Valhalla, a good meal and milk, and some guzzoline to inhale from time to time. He might get hell for having let one of them through this evening, but he could take it. It was worth it for these fumes.

A piercing, desperate cry cut through the silence, startling the man awake. He looked around, rubbing his eyes and wondering whether it had been a waking dream. A second cry, this time marked by cleared distress, gave him the answer.

~o~

"PLEASE HELP ME!"

Nux also jolted from his stupor by the terrified voice. For some reason he was on a bike. _Did Slit put me here?_ There was a woman with rust-colored hair at his side, holding him up as best she could, but he felt himself slipping to the side of the vehicle. _Her name...her name..._ Nux sensed a desperate familiarity with her but he couldn't grasp it, filling him with anxiety. Sinews of fear raced down his throat as he suddenly realized he didn't know where he was. A minute or an eon ago he had been riding a boat over a lake of sand, and trying his hardest not to fall overboard into salt and laughter. He wasn't even sure what a boat was – he had never even seen a sea or lake – yet he still knew he had been afloat one's swell.

He heard a shuffle of feet in sand and felt arms of a strange bleached man untying his own. As Nux was straightened up, his rib lurched, sending shooting pain once again down his spine. Nux could taste a numb sickness of rust and felt it in every sensation all at once. He smelled it's copper, heard the grind of metal, sensed his skin scraped into it's jagged surface. It encompassed every sense at once in one sickening loop. His scrambled thought sought out a reason for this sensation. Had he remembered to change his transmission lately? Of course. Windshield fluid, maybe? _Gonna need a tune up, that's for sure._

Once untied, the two figured lifted him up from each side. Their arms slipped under his shoulders and the legs that he couldn't feel, but knew they must be there, since human's have legs... _or was that wheels?_ He felt an uncomfortable and lopsided tugging on each limb as they lifted, so he tried to squirm away. There came a searing jolt from one wheel in particular, yet the figures did not let go. Distraught words were blurring together from the woman beside him as they stumbled forward. _"Thank you, thank you o gods, he's bleeding bad! O Nux just hang in there, we're so close...We have to get him to the wing now, he's bleeding! We need her...we need to find her!"_

He blinked twice and opened his eyes to take everything in. He was being carried towards the towering gates of – what do you call it – Valhalla! _Relief spread and dispelled the anxiety at the answer. So this is death. The ocean or river of Sticks or styx that brings us here. Strange that there are no actual gates. Just a bunch of rock towers._ Nux grimaced, not from pain. _Well that's disappointing. Godammit Slit, you win. He could now see the sillhouette of Slit in front of him._

 _Slit is raising his hands in animated anger after their most recent argument. Nux is sitting on the roof of a pickup and tinkering with a jammed carburetor. Slit paces back and forth in the sand of the junk yard. Nux growls, his voice unsteady with restraint."Valhalla's gated, I told you already. Immortan Joe says so."_

 _"Yeah, but 'e says it is in the image of The Citadel. The Citadel has no gates...or rivers! D'you see any rivers here?" S_ _lit waves his arms around the yard._

 _"Then why'd he say it?"_

 _"It's a med-a-phor!"_

 _ _Nux feels anger come to a boil in his gut._ "Why would the land eternal and chrome need a metaphor? It's already glory enough. And Immortan Joe doesn't lie."  
_

 _"It's not a lie, it's embellishment."_

 _ _Nux throws the carburetor in the dirt._ "Glory doesn't need embellishment!" _

_"Cause nothin's more glorious than a door." Slit smirked, "I'll bet my car you're gonna be sorely disappointed."_

 _Nux jumps feels his face heat up. "Then I''ll see you at the bloody gates_ _– you can bet my De Luxe on it_ _– But don't let 'em crush you on the way in." He hops off the vehicle, snatches up the car part, and marches away before he has to catch sight of Slit's smug grin.  
_

 _"Fine, keep your gates._ _Well, we'll see who's right inth' end. And I'll be grinning daisies on your mighty fine car's high octane guzzoline."_

Nux was not looking forward to giving Slit his new vehicle. He hadn't even finished her yet! As he was carried forward towards the gateless gates, searing light poured into his vision, causing the bitter sound of rust to rush back into his ears. Once his head had quieted, he watched as a group of silhouettes rushed forward and he heard a familiar voice among them. In his stupor he could make out ripples of words.

"What in the _HELL_ do you think you were you doing!?"

 _It's HER!_ The one with the shine arm. _Half car woman,_ Nux smiled.

"– had to. Please –"

A second woman with short dark hair tore through the gate, also oddly familiar. "– you fucking mental?" Nux strained to listen, but the sharp groan of iron muffled the words. "..can just take off like that?..." some angry yelling that sent rivets of metal through his skin. "...and all the shit we went through? You coulda got yourself KILLED!"

 _But we were killed._

Another woman with black hair rushed over with arms raised at the rust-colored girl, wailing, only to be restrained in time by a tall one. "We thought you were DEAD!" _Dead as the dead sea._

"Or worse!"

Soon Nux felt the tension in his arms and legs release as the two supporting figures laid him down on the soft sand. It was better here, actually. From where he lay, he could once again bask in the wonder of the universe. The short haired one gestured down at Nux, her voice thick with anger. "So was it worth it?" _Worth_ it? Nux was curious what could be worth dying glorious, standing before the "gates", but the woman's voice was fast and he couldn't keep up. "All that for some dead war boy?"

"But he's ALIVE! Please!..." _This is silly, no one_ _– not even HIM_ _– could survive fighting the War Rig,_ "...to the medical wing!" "...And he's not just some war boy! He's N–"

 _What? He's alive?_

 _"Who? Is that Rictus?"_

 _"No, it's the kid!"_

 _"Nux?"_

 _"Hellooo,"_ Nux mumbled at them without any volume or coherence.

There were some sounds of surprise, and he sensed bodies towering over him.

 _"Omygod."_

 _"Coulda sworn he carked it_ _–"_

 _"_ _– saw him smashed! He should be in pieces!"_

 _"Still could cark it...Look, you can see his ribs."_

 _"Ugh, gross! Poor guy."_

"Will someone _PLEASE_ help me!" One voice rang clearly now, beside him. The rust-haired woman's voice cracked and caused a ripple of pain to shoot up Nux's body once again, even though he had been completely still. After the sound of shuffling, Nux felt himself being lifted and placed on a large metal sheet. From below, he watched her rush over to grab the half car woman's arm, her voice quivering. "Furiosa, I had to. Please understand –"

"I don't want to hear it. We've been tearing this place apart for you. Get inside."

"But he's ALIVE! What if we had just left him there?"

"Get inside. NOW!"

Nux felt himself being raised, and the metal creaked and groaned with each step toward the lights. Angry voices still spun around him, including from the rusted one at his side who grasped his arm tightly as they rushed forward, but he didn't pay any mind to their words. Instead, he just glanced up beyond the stone pillars of Valhalla to the dark and endless sky. Once again he was greeted by stars, though by fewer now. The blackness still called for him, but now the lure of their voice had faded, muffled by the growing light of a new dawn.


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter took longer to post than expected, so thanks for waiting! It was originally going to be a flashback, but I ended up expanding the concept into a whole new chapter between existing ones. Thanks again to BlueSky509 for continuing to provide really insightful feedback.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE: Capable.**

An endless flow of step after step appeared at each turn, making Capable's anxiety grow to a deafening pitch. _How far up can it be?!_ The stairway was a narrow tunnel of rock that twisted up the center of the Citadel's main butte, like some monstrous throat. There was no light save for a few blackened oil lamps that they passed in quick procession. With barely enough room shoulder to shoulder, and this deep inside the mountain, the space was suffocating. As they struggled upwards, Capable felt a sickening sensation of being swallowed hole.  
Her fingers and wrists throbbed from grasping the jagged corner of the makeshift stretcher that cradled Nux's limp form. The two men also supporting his dead weight moved at such a pace that Capable nearly had to jog just to keep up. When rounding a particularly narrow corner of the stairway, Capable's foot caught on an outcropping of rock. She stumbled with a surprised yelp, but managed to catch herself before she crashed into the War Boy at her side. In the stumble she had managed to scrape her elbow on the rough wall and soon felt a trickle down her forearm. However, this was a distant thought since all attention not spent on climbing was directed to Nux. She frantically scanned again for signs of life, but the constant jarring of movement made this nearly impossible.

Capable groaned with frustration as Nux's leg slid off the metal sheet for the hundredth time, forcing her to once again readjust her awkward grip. _Ugh! Why do you have to make this so difficult?_ The Boy next to her ignored her struggle, instead keeping his eyes on their Imperator at the lead. Capable shifted her attention to Furiosa to keep her mind off her throbbing hands. She admired how swiftly Furiosa marched up the stairs, her back and neck muscles tensing with each strong step. In spite of being short a mechanical arm, Furiosa moved with incredible assurance. Capable swallowed the pain and clenched her aching wrists. _If Furiosa can get shanked and still climb these stairs, I've got no excuse_ , she thought, gritting her teeth.

The group moved upwards largely in silence. Capable was so far beyond exhausted and raw, having not slept for 30 hours or more. As they passed yet another landing, she felt her hands slipping. _I can't do this anymore_! However, glancing down again at the fading War Boy, she felt something rush through her. _But I have to. For Nux_. This thought seemed to rev her own internal engine, and with this untapped energy Capable pushed on with everything she had.

~o~

After what felt like another millennia, the group was finally met by the welcome sight of the medical wing hallway, one floor above the Skull Tier. "Thank gods!" she cried out. Capable felt a wonderful drop in her anxiety as the door to the medical bay drew closer and closer. The familiar hallway sprung memories of a large room with an endless array of equipment, filling her with new hope. Of anywhere in the Wasteland, this was the place where he would have the best fighting chance. When they finally pushed through double doors, Capable was blinded by the harsh glare of the fluorescent lights that dangled from the ceiling, her eyes not yet adjusted from the darkness of the tunnel. After a few blinks, she took in the space before her; the long, narrow room was filled with a disorienting assortment of beds, medical devices, and lumbering bodies. The reek of bleach and charred rubber burned Capable's airways, but she welcomed the acrid scent since it meant _they had finally made it_! With Furiosa directing them, Capable and the War Boys strode down the space between the two rows of cots in search of a free bed, surrounded by a dizzying chorus of mechanical beeps and chirps from strange medical devices. As Capable pushed forward with the heavy stretcher, she noticed that most of the machines bore the letters "ADF" and a stamp of a crown and sun.  
With only an x-ray chamber and makeshift surgical bay attached to the main room, it could have hardly have been called a medical wing. However, that was not to say that it wasn't impressive. The cavern contained an endless assortment of devices and medicine that had been pillaged over many years, although Capable had heard that some were decades expired or dried up. However, there was still a stockpile of drugs that filled an entire room and she could see numerous generators lining the walls. The amount of medical care that Joe had hoarded for his own vanity and survival was stunning... and in this moment, invaluable. For a fleeting moment Capable felt something close to gratitude towards Joe, but upon glancing down at Nux's other health concern that lingered on his windpipe, this sentiment evaporated with the realization that _Joe had this all along._

Immortan Joe's junior Organic Mechanic was working on stitching up an angry gash on a War Pup's chest when they rushed past him to an empty cot. Just in time, since Capable was about ready to drop her corner. The Junior Mechanic jumped from his work to gawk at his unexpected guests. As Furiosa collapsed on her knees in heaved breaths beside a generator, the rest placed Nux's stretcher on the stone ground, untied the ropes, and in unspoken synchrony lifted him onto the worn bed. Furiosa squinted up from her pained posture and nodded at the larger War Boy assisting them, who then took off out the door and back down the hallway. Capable sprung to Nux's side, but suddenly she was yanked back by her wrist and spun around. She found herself face to face with the grizzled Junior Mechanic.

"Oy! Ya can't leave that 'ere!"

Capable pulled her arm away and gaped at the short, lopsided man with unkempt hair and thick, cracked glasses, at a loss of words. Fortunately, Furiosa took that moment to pull herself up using the generator and get between Capable and the Mechanic, allowing Capable to jump back to Nux's side. As she tightened the cloth on his seeping leg wound, she leaned in close and could finally see the full damage to his person. She ached at the sight of him, and almost wished that the lights weren't so bright to have to see him like this. Dried blood and sand was caked on every curve of his face and pooled in his neck and collarbone. His skin felt clammy and plastic. He lay sprawled out, his mouth agape, one arm dangling awkwardly off the edge. His form was completely motionless aside from a slight rise in his chest every quarter minute or so. Capable was close enough to catch his scent, flooding her with a lost memory of her visit to an ironsmith yard, long before her forced servitude. Leaning over, she was able to detect a slight breath, but his pulse was so faint she had to double check that she wasn't just measuring her own. She heard voices rise behind her. _Why wasn't the Mechanic or anyone helping yet?_ As she turned to find out, a clash of metal rang through the air that made her jump. She spun around fully to find Furiosa facing down the Mechanic, a tray of scalpels and gauze scattered across the floor.

"..NO! I need you to deal with this, NOW!" Furiosa yelled, her fist clenched.

"What you expect me ta do with it?" He waved his hand dismissively in the direction of the young dying man.

"Fix him!"

The Junior Mechanic sauntered over next to Capable, and did a half-hearted inspection. He jammed a finger into Nux's freshly exposed ribs and flashed his pocket light into one of Nux's pried eyes, and in Capable's opinion not likely not long enough to see if anything dilated or registered. The Mechanic slipped the light back into his jacket pocket and grunted. "I can't salvage that! You reckon we 'ave equipment for this kinda werk? Plus that can-sa eating 'im?" he shrugged. "Forget it, 'e's scrap now."

"I don't care what it takes, just try. You're going to put your best nurse on this." Furiosa threw her half arm toward the only other medical staff in the room, a young man near the x-ray room that was attending a War Boy with burns. "And I'm not asking. That's an order."

Capable paced alongside the bed in desperation. _C'mon, c'mon! Someone do SOMETHING!_ She darted back to her friend's side. Well, if everyone else was going to be useless, what could she do? She had read parts of a medical textbook that ended up in their library, but she could recall absolutely nothing from it. She felt nauseous with helplessness, so she did all she knew she could. She held Nux's cold hand, watched for every breath, and spoke quiet words to will him to stick around.

The Junior Mechanic turned his back on Furiosa to return to his first charge, who was still sitting quietly on a gurney with small feet dangling, watching the drama unfold. "That kid's 'alf way ta the Gates by now! Why take away what 'e wants? We don't do things that way round 'ere. Naw, 'e's insect meal now." The young pup flinched as the rough medical attendant drew the final stitch before shoving him off the table. As soon as the young pup had scurried away, Furiosa took a step towards the surly man and – with some effort – rose to her full height. She glowered at the Mechanic with her one good eye. She stood a few inches shorter than him, but Capable could feel the weight of her presence even from where she was standing.

Furiosa continued. "Unless you have been under a stone for the past 24 hours, the way things were done around here aren't how we're doing them now. From now on you're going to be following my rules, or else you and I are going to have a problem."

"Piss on your rules!" Spittle sprung from the medical attendant's lips, "When the Mechanic's away, I'm in charge in 'ere, an' it's MY decision who I treat!"

Within an instant Furiosa had the man by his filthy collar. He tried to pull away, but before he could escape Furiosa had swung him against the wall of the x-ray chamber and pressed her forearm into his neck. The partition shuddered as the back of his skull met reinforced glass, but it didn't give. Capable held her breath and took in Furiosa. Her forehead was still smudged black, but was now flecked with red gashes of fresh wounds. One eye was sealed shut and leaked an unknown fluid, and her neck and face was a patchwork of blue and red. She wasn't just formidable... She was _terrifying.  
_ The man struggled, but Furiosa just pushed her half arm deeper into his throat and knee into his gut until he was wheezing for air. "You will not speak to your superior that way again," she hissed.

Furiosa released her arm and placed her foot down, but didn't back away. Her face was mere inches from his. She spoke slowly, her voice nearly a whisper, but it dripped with vitriol. "Alright. So you've been around a while. You should know more than anyone Joe's spiel about the Citadel being an engine that can only run if all its parts are working _exactly_ as they should. If you have a defective part, you've got a broken engine. But do you _know_ what we actually _do_ with defective parts? The ones we can't degrade to some lower purpose?" Furiosa moved even closer, her breath mixing with his own. "...We leave them out for the Buzzards. Keep them from raiding us at night. You know, they're actually pretty efficient. I hear they like to make use of all the parts… the screws, the rivets… the teeth, the bones, the spleen… everything. We have a few Boys leaving for the Bullet Farm at sunrise who would be _more_ than happy to make a pit stop at their burrow just for you. Isn't that right?" She glanced over at the lanky War Boy, who nodded with a perverse grin. "But you know, like you said, it's _your_ decision."

The Junior Mechanic went pale. Furiosa took a step back, and without another word, the man stumbled towards Nux and set to work. Furiosa limped to the nearest cot and crumpled forward, taking long, heavy breaths. Capable moved out of the Mechanic's way and leaned against a sink near the cot, her nails gripping steel and heart racing. Those feelings of hope were now quickly ebbing away at the thought that _this_ tosser could be Nux's lifeline. Just then, the burly War Boy returned and was followed by a heavyset older woman close behind, who walked with a makeshift cane. Capable didn't recognize her, but instantly she knew her to be one of the Milk Mothers.

Furiosa smiled and strained to stand up again. "Great, thanks for coming, Doctor." Capable watched with astonishment as they shook hands like they did in the Old World. "This one's one of ours. He's the Boy I was telling you about. Apparently he made it alive... so far, at least."

"His name's Nux," Capable interjected, but she wasn't sure if she even made any sound.

The large woman with long black hair tied in a bun, rich brown skin, and warm eyes smiled at Capable as she approached her and Nux. "How long's the boy been unconscious?"

They all turned to face Capable. "Uh... we'll he's been in and out since I picked him up, but he's been out since we got here…"

"Twenty minutes," Furiosa snapped.

Capable took a step away from the bed and watched in awe as the Milk Mother moved instinctively around the cots and machines. She directed the other nurse to retrieve the IV Catheters, extension tubes, and lactated ringers. Capable was taken aback when she actually barked orders at the Mechanic while setting up Nux's oxygen, and how he actually obeyed without question. Clearly she outranked him, and so maybe, like herself, the Mother had been stolen from another life and skill set. Capable sensed that from the way the woman and Furiosa spoke to each other, and the way this Milk Mother – or rather – doctor moved around the medical bay with a flair of familiarity, this was not their first meeting here today. Perhaps after all the violence yesterday there had been a call for medical skills, and this woman was more than happy to take up her old cause. Capable inched toward the bedside with hands clenched when the doctor looked up at her. "Here, honey." She handed Capable an old watch from her pocket. "I need you to count how many heartbeats and breaths he has in 30 seconds and let me know."

~o~

Capable was feeling waves of relief to see someone finally doing something, and the sense of helplessness had been wiped away the moment the doctor set her to work. She also directed Capable on how to use the blood pressure cuff and take readings. While counting breaths, Capable cherished every single cloud that condensed inside Nux's face mask. She waited with baited breath for each puff of steam to appear before exhaling herself. _C'mon Nux... You breathe, I breathe._ In between taking vitals, Capable would place pressure on his calf wound to restrict the blood loss, but she had to avert her eyes to keep from feeling faint at the sight of muscle and what could possibly be bone. The fresh crimson also made her feel ill from the realization that even with the doctor here, there were no promises. The lactated ringer would deal with Nux's fluid loss for now, but he needed blood. Fast. They had given him the fresh blood in the medical wing's storage, but this was not enough. The doctor made it clear that they were going to need a blood bag, so the Junior Mechanic and War Boys were sent away to deal with this task.

The doctor always spoke calmly to Capable, and it helped sooth some of her own nerves as she watched the woman set to work on sealing his chest wound. The nurse, a young man with dark hair and a half deformed face, was also a welcome presence. _Much better than that tosser,_ she thought _._ They would soon need to x-ray, but fluids would be first priority. As they anxiously waited on the blood, on the doctor's command Capable went through another round of taking vitals. She was counting his heartbeats and got to the 20th second when she suddenly lost a feel of it. Confused, she tried to reposition her fingers at his neck, which was when Nux convulsed on the bed... and then became dead still.  
 _O gods o gods he's dying_! her head screamed, but all she could managed was a pathetic "help!" The staff jumped to action. The doctor rushed over and placed a stethoscope to his bare chest, and without hesitation, positioned herself above to start chest compressions. Her eyes darted to Capable. With one arm pressing on Nux, she pointed down at the ground. "Grab that device now!" The tone in her voice was short and direct, and Capable felt the suffocating weight of what was happening. This was not life. Losing someone before your eyes was neither life nor death.

Without hesitation, Capable flew and grabbed the strange plastic device connected to a heavy car battery. Furiosa, completely spent, could only look on helplessly. After the nurse attached it to Nux's body, the doctor yelled "Stand back!" Capable watched in horror as the pads on his bare chest sent small tremors throughout his fragile body. _Please don't die on me, don't do this, don't leave me here alone!_ As the doctor worked tirelessly on him, Capable became aware that she herself was bawling but could only hear static. The medical staff moved in slow motion, their hands pushing his chest inward to a grotesque depth beyond where any chest should go. Capable wretched and shook at the sight. She cried a mantra through sobs "C'mon Nux, come back, please! You have to come back! O gods, don't do this to me!" Suddenly she heard her name, and out of the tears came focus. The nurse ordered her to take over pumping the air mask, and she jumped on it instantly. She decided that was going to keep him here, whether he liked it or not! Capable frantically did everything the doctor and nurse called for. From taking turns at compressions, to breathing, to pressing into the cavern of his ribs to keep the bleeding at bay.

After five minutes of what felt like an eternity, by some strange fluke of nature they somehow brought him back. As the doctor checked his vitals, Capable witnessed life seep back into him; color returned to his face, and his chest rose with the slightest shudder. When the doctor nodded at her, Capable nearly knocked the nurse over to get close to him. As the medical staff worked around the two of them, Capable watched as beautiful steam swelled and ebbed inside his mask. Her own body convulsed too and she had to grasp the worn down mattress to keep from falling over. Exhausting relief washed through her. The doctor adjusted the oxygen level and drew a heavy sigh. "You alright, honey?"

Capable nodded. She leaned into his chest and placed a hand on his bruised sternum. She felt bones shift so she relented a little. The sensation of it rise on its own was complete bliss. _Don't do that to me again, okay?  
_ She wanted more than anything to hear his heart beat on his own without the cold instruments. She yearned to lean in and press her ear against his chest, take in the lovely rhythm, but seeing the staff fussing around her she thought the better of it. Instead, she rubbed his hands to try to bring some circulation back into them after his heart decided to take a short break.

When his vitals steadied, the doctor took a minute to locate a Doppler that was rumored to be kept somewhere at the back of the medical wing. They hooked Nux up to the small white machine by a cord attached to the end of his index finger. The nurse informed Capable that the Doppler was also connected to makeshift alarm in the wing that would alert them if his heart were to stop again or the generator were to die. As they turned it on, a pulsing wave of static emerged from the machine. It made Capable's own heart ache to hear it so hushed and slow. Now that a machine and the nurse were heart monitoring for her, this meant that Capable's role of counting beats was no longer needed, so she helped however way she could.

~o~

An hour or so had passed and Capable was busy assisting the doctor in repairing Nux's side, which had been reopened by the chest compressions. The room felt hot and musty and sick. Capable shifted her shoulder to rub a drip of sweat out of her eyes, but this only added more itchy dirt to her face. The doctor had asked her to hold a bowl containing gauze and a bright brown liquid that reeked like Joe's home-brewed whiskey while she sutured the wound. The nurse was busy with his leg, so it was also up to Capable to keep Nux's arm raised as the doctor worked on sewing him up. Her legs screamed from standing, and she felt absolutely filthy. It took twice the concentration not to lean into Nux's gurney and disturb the array of cords that made him appear to be another beeping medical fixture in this godawful place.  
The doctor signaled for Capable to raise his arm higher in order to draw more thread through the cavernous hole in Nux's side, and Capable obliged with a weary obedience. All she could do was watch, wait, and push through the fatigue. At one point her cheek itched, and she had to use his hand to scratch her face. Her own ribs stung with each suture the doctor drew, so she distracted herself by focusing on Nux. It was hard to believe that this was the same lively and inquisitive man who serendipitously rode into her life not two days ago. Here, on this padded and stained mattress, he looked so small and grey. The harsh fluorescent lights highlighted every shattered part of him. A wave of guilt washed over her. _Did she even think whether he'd want to end up here?  
_ There were no windows, this deep inside the granite, and she hated it. Nux probably would too. Capable longed to see the early morning sky. Why did she have to bring him here to most likely die? Hadn't he been better off slipping away in a graveyard among his cherished friends – his soldiers and his vehicles – comforted by the gentle glow of stars?

~o~

It was well into morning and Capable was feeling all adrenaline wear off, but still she was at the doctor's every call, who now moved around the room like she had been there since the Citadel rose. Furiosa's had to wait for Nux to stabilize before her own wounds could be tended to by the nurse, but once they were finished, she pulled the doctor aside. "I'm sorry Ruin, I need to get back now. Thank you for everything and all your help here. We sure as hell needed it today."

"Alright, love. Take it easy on running a city for one day, okay? You need to rest as soon as you can. Just make sure you come back at midday and we'll have another look at that mean wound."

Furiosa hobbled her way out the door and was about to turn the corner when Capable scrambled away from Nux's bed towards her.

"Wait!" she cried, stopping Furiosa in her tracks. Furiosa whipped around, her lips curled and threatening to leak venom. Capable shrunk at this ferocity, and averted her eyes towards dirt-stained ground. She timidly sputtered, "I just wanted to say. I mean, it's just been... If it hadn't been for you... Thank you, Furiosa. I can't tell you how–"  
She was cut short by the slam of the medical wing door, flinching as it sent echoes down the granite hallway before fading away. Capable just stared at the door frame, the echo and the remains of her own hollow words still ringing in her ears.

It wasn't long after that when Nux crashed a second time. She hadn't expected it, but she wasn't surprised either. The buzzer rang and rang, and that was when Capable couldn't do it anymore. She slid to the floor with her back against the wall while the rest of them pumped his chest to keep him in this world.


	4. Chapter 4

***** **Content Note:** *** Some references to the ex-wives' history of sexual assault, confinement, and PTSD-like symptoms.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR: Capable.**

Capable sat on an outcrop of the rock face with her legs dangling over the edge, observing War Boys scramble over a salvaged vehicle a hundred feet below. She leaned both her forearms on the lower barrier made out of an old bumper and let out a deep exhale. For such testosterone-filled men, their movements were surprisingly fluid and graceful. Seemingly random actions in and around the vehicles became coordinated and automatic on closer observation. This was no engrained routine of work, but rather a dance with their beloved machines.  
It felt safe up here, even at this height, surrounded by busy life below in all directions. She was enjoying the solitude. A few female Wretcheds had passed behind her on their way to the stairwell, but for the most part she had been alone. Below her, one War Boy was tinkering on a motorbike that could very likely have been the one she commandeered. When the Boy glanced up, she reflexively shrunk lower and hid behind the barrier. Fortunately, he had already turned back to the bike to continue with scraping a flood of sand from the exhaust that never seemed to end. That bike had been quite a mess by the time she and Nux made it back. _Nux._ Her stomach panged at the sound of his name.  
The weeks since her perilous journey had been an exhausting whirlwind. Nux's condition was critical from the moment they stepped into the Citadel, but somehow he was still with them. Strangely, beyond anyone's expectations, they got his heart going again that awful morning. However, it had barely registered to Capable as she sat incapacitated on the floor, a filthy mess of dirt and tangled hair. The Doctor had to practically drag her back to Nux's side. After an hour or so had passed without incident, Capable stumbled over to the nearest empty gurney, pulled it as close to Nux as it would go, and collapsed into a dreamless sleep.

Swinging her legs in the air, Capable recalled the sweet relief upon waking that first morning to find him with her still. She savored the memory and felt those warm feelings flow through her again now. Somehow he pulled through the next day. And the next. And 12 more after that. While he was still touch and go, and had yet to wake, all signs that he was healing were good. Even if it wasn't much of him yet, he was _alive_. These weren't words Capable thought she would ever say to herself when they had witnessed the War Rig in its death roll, or when his chest was pressed in with their best intentions. _Alive._ The word even tasted wonderful. However, Capable couldn't understand why the others didn't show the same relief. While Furiosa checked in on his condition whenever she visited the medical bay for her own treatments, the moment her dressings were changed, she would disappear from the bay without a glance towards his unconscious form. It hurt to see that Nux's recovery was just another task on her to-do list of rebuilding a society. However, at least she visited Nux...unlike her sisters. Capable had heard the three of them whispering the other day about her spending too much time with him, and it stung to discover they weren't as excited about Nux's return. _Whatever,_ they could gossip away. It didn't matter, since _he's still here._ These precious words were a mantra she would whisper to herself whenever she sensed Furiosa's contempt or felt an outsider among what had become her own family. Even now, as she dreaded going down for rations, it brought a small smile to her lips.

The wind howled through the buttes and spun strands of hair in her face. She liked it here, on her perch in the sky. Capable would often come out here on this level below the Skull Tier whenever the acrid scent of the medical wing gave her a headache, since this outcrop was the closest place to get fresh air. Although Capable had a new room on the greenhouse level where she could go, here was just easier. She had yet to stay a night in it, actually. Both she and the other ex-wives had all moved there as soon as they arrived. The rooms were small, but the thought of spending another night in the Vault was unthinkable to any of them.

Her eyes flicked to where her boots sat beside her in the dust. _I should really get going_...Her bare feet hung in the cool void above the yard, and she batted them at the unaware soldiers below. A growl escaped her stomach, but she knew the longer she waited, the less likely she would have to bump into them. She felt queasy just anticipating how the meal would go. The women would hush immediately on her arrival, feigning innocent conversation. Meanwhile, Furiosa would not speak to her beyond some generic orders directed at the ex-wives in general. That was bearable. The worst part was that when Furiosa looked at her, she looked _through_ her...Almost as if scanning something in the distance. _Speaking of which..._ Capable thought as she watched the setting sun clip the Western Butte. Evening rations would probably be over soon, so she better leave now. Once the last ray of sun had disappeared behind the mountain, she sighed and rose to her feet. Gathering up her boots, Capable disappeared into the darkness of the stairwell, leaving the War Boys below to their machines.

~o~

A few hours later that evening, Capable made her way back from Rations Hall alone. She dragged her feet down the dark hallway of the Central Butte, passing a few stray Wretcheds on her way. _This sucks_. All earlier pleasantness from day had drained away in the last 20 minutes. The meal itself with the other ex-wives had also been...awkward. Once Max and Furiosa had eaten and left their table, the other ex-wives decided that tomorrow would finally be the day where they would return to the Vault to gather up their meager belongings. Capable hadn't protested, but she would have preferred to have waited for the glass to crack and the entire place to become covered in dunes so that it wouldn't feel like the same prison. She would just as soon abandon everything there. The others wanted to get it all done fast in one day, or, as The Dag put it, "We'll cut through it quick, like a snake-bitten toe!"

As Capable carefully navigated across one of the metal bridges connecting the two buttes, she realized that she could probably handle the Vault, but there was also that _other_ task that they had put off until now. She paused to look at last remnants of daylight to her right. Gripping steel wire, she took a deep breath. It was extremely hard to think about her. Capable didn't want to, even now. The cool desert wind tickled her arms and sent a chill up her neck. And now they had to rummage through Splendid's personal belongings? She shuddered. Other than Toast, Splendid was the one Capable had been closest to, so it felt wrong. _Just let the dead lie._ With Splendid gone, their little group of sisters by association felt disconnected and hollow.

As she reached the medical wing level, another wave of apprehension came with the thought of returning to that prison tomorrow. It ached through her with each step under the dim lamp light. As she pushed through the heavy doors, a slow and rhythmic _woosh, woosh, woosh_ of the Doppler greeted her. _Almost musical._ Even with the sour and sickly smell that lingered, the rhythm flooded her with sweet relief. Capable made her way to the small bed opposite the door. She frowned. He looked particularly hollow today. They pumped in fluids and life, but weight still drained away from once spry muscles. It was difficult to see his pale, shrunken form. This morning had been particularly bothersome. Capable had caught one of the attendants scrubbing his skin roughly to "get rid of that damn clay for a new IV" until Capable had to cut in and tell the attendant that Nux had already washed that all away.

Once cleaned up in the hospital washroom, Capable began what had become a nightly ritual. She sponged a damp cloth across Nux's flushed face and shoulders before moving his good limbs around to get some circulation going. Then, with some effort, she dragged the smallest cot from the corner of the room and brought it next to Nux's bed. Kicking off her boots, she climbed onto the cot and lay to face him.

"It's me," she whispered, reaching out a hand to stroke his unresponsive cheek. "Didn't think I'd be gone so long...Rations were rough with the girls again. But you would have liked it, though...Simulated chicken." She studied his profile as he lay supine. His neck was covered with a wide bandage from where his unwanted guests had been. Larry and Barry had started to interfere with his airway as his condition improved, and since they did not contain major vessels, the Doctor insisted on removing them. Capable had been initially terrified about the risk, but the Doctor assured her that he stood a better chance not suffocating. He had somehow survived the surgery, although who knew what other characters lingered inside his body. However, Capable was just glad to see those two go.

Nux's eyelids occasionally flickered with hidden life below the surface. Capable thrilled at these small moments. She knew he was in there, somewhere. She kept speaking softly to him, telling him about her day, quiet so that no others around could hear. Warmth washed over her as the memories from the last few hours faded. "Wanna wake up today?" she whispered.

No response.

"Alright, maybe tomorrow." She shifted on her cot and sighed. "You know, this cot is _way_ more comfortable that the Vault. Even with that posh bed. Just not having that awful belt..." She shuddered at the thought that the chastity belt was still out there somewhere, tarnishing in the sun. "I hope the desert grinds it down to nothing. You know, I was sort of disappointed we dumped them since I kinda wanted to melt mine down into something. A knife, maybe. But don't tell Furiosa that."

Capable teased at the sharp plastic edge of the medical tag on his wrist. She pinched his arm while studying his face to see if anything registered. "How long are you going to do this?" she sighed, flopping her head back. She had heard the Junior Mechanic grumbling the other day about how he was draining precious guzzoline. Even thinking about it now shot fear through her gut. Would they disconnect him when she was away? _No, Ruin wouldn't let it._ They put too much into him to let him drain away so easily.

Nux lay still as oxygen pumped into his lungs through a tube above his upper lip. Capable felt her eyes grow heavy. His heartbeats on that little machine would often accompany her into her dreams. However, there were some of _those_ nights where the mechanized _woosh_ would follow her, only to fade and stop. This would jolt her awake, panicked and soaked in sweat, until she would hear that noise again and realize it had all been in her head. Then there were the sleepless nights when his fevers took over. These would involve an endless rush with the night staff to lower his temperature and racing to the Rations Hall for ice. And then there were those terrible nights haunted by the grimace of teeth. _Maybe those ones would stop once her captor was fully gone_...She pushed the dark thought away. As Capable traced a finger down Nux jawline, she made up her mind that tonight wasn't going to be one of _those_ nights.

She sighed. When she was here, she was safe. She pulled his limp arm over onto her own cot and closed her hand on his.

 _C'mon, Nux. Wake up. I need you here._

It was like this. Push through living, find her reprieve in this sour room of machines, and hope that today was the one where he would come back. After some time, she got lost in each wave of his heartbeat and let it lull her into a peaceful sleep.

~o~

The next morning, Capable woke feeling refreshed until she remembered her task for that day. Groaning, she tossed about on her bed as staff worked around her and _tsked_ with disapproval. Today she didn't care, and she wouldn't bother going for rations, either. There was a food stock on the greenhouse tier, plus she didn't really feel hungry, anyway. After the time to meet had come and gone, she slipped on a clean shirt and shorts, kissed Nux's damp temple, and made her way towards the lift.  
Although the march up the stairs to the medical wing had been atrocious during Nux's emergency, she was relieved that there was an industrial lift connecting all levels between the wing and greenhouse tier. The medical wing was also accessible to the ground level via the main truck lift, but Capable recalled with a bitter taste how it had not been available that day due the fact it was holding the massive Gigahorse.

Maintained by War Pups, this inner lift was enclosed in mesh and much smaller and faster than the outside truck lift. It ascended the inner wall of the main butte to the primary greenhouse level, the same tier that contained the glass dome of the Vault. Ascending at a nerve-wracking speed, Capable watched astonished as flashes of the Wasteland appeared at intervals between rock face. Mountains and the eastern canyon came into focus, and she found herself grasping a support bar at her hip to steady her weakening legs. This was something she would have to get used to, especially if the greenhouse level was going to be her new home (by choice this time, at least).  
The rickety lift slowed and one of the Pups pried the door open for her. Capable stepped off and moved through the hanging gardens. The soft hiss of mist spraying filled the tall chamber that opened to the sky. She paused for a moment to catch some on her face, basking in its coolness. _Maybe this won't be so bad._ Voices echoed ahead of her as she moved through the walls of green. However, upon catching sight of the massive circular door, all moisture left her mouth. Her throat closed up with the flashes:

 _A bag on her head that reeks of mold and makes her gag as she hears the metallic grind of the Vault opening to her for the first time..._

 _Her feet kicking the corner of the Vault wall, clanging metal, her screaming resonating throughout the tunnel as they drag her to the medical wing for forced tests..._

 _Capable glancing back at the Vault door for what she hopes is the last time as Furiosa races her down the hall way, and Capable curses its existence to the bottom crevice of Hell._

Her feet suddenly became cemented to the ground. Fear closed in like the tunnel before her and threatened to swallow her up. She had never thought she would be seeing this dreaded tunnel again, let alone enter it willingly. _What if it were to shut on me?_ She would be trapped again, forever! A sudden burst of laughter broke the air and shook her back to reality. That was silly, she knew that wouldn't happen. Joe was gone, and with him her servitude. With clenched fists and a deep breath, Capable pushed away her nerves and took her first hesitant steps into the dark tunnel.

The Dag's airy drawl grew louder with each step towards the bright entrance. "What are you going to do with that? Model it for the Wretcheds?"

"It's still good! Look! Only two holes now." Cheedo giggled.

"That's still pretty bogan. Just throw it out."

Their laughter was cut short as Capable emerged from the tunnel. Two of the surviving ex-wives put down their clothes and turned their heads towards her. They were sprawled out on the sandy floor by the central bath in the bright main room, surrounded by piles of clothes and artifacts, some of which Capable recognized instantly.

"Hi," Capable muttered, feeling her face flush. She never felt nervous with them before. _Why now?_

"I thought we said 10." The Dag chided, turning her back to continue with folding a blue shirt.

"I know. I just got caught up," Capable lied, scowling. _If she wants me here, why is she so obviously displeased to see me?_ Squinting in the harsh light, she glanced around the wide room. The Vault appeared virtually untouched since they left, and other than a fine layer of sand on every surface and their angry writings across the walls, it could have been any other horrific day spent here. A bowl of rare cherries on the piano lay rotting in the sun.

The dresser drawers hung open at various angles, spitting assorted clothes the floor. It looked like they had been at this for a while, and Capable felt a small stab of guilt at her tardiness. As she stood awkwardly near the tunnel entrance, Toast appeared from their old bedroom with arms overloaded with books. "Ooof!" Toast dropped the books near the central pool, sending a puff of dust from the faded lettering on the floor. Paint that once screamed "OUR BABIES WILL NOT BE WARLORDS" was now just a muted roar, having been smeared beyond recognition by the traffic of busy feet.  
"Gods, finally! Took you long enough. We thought you bailed. We put any of your stuff over there." Toast swung an arm towards a corner near the window where a pile of Capable's belongings lay crumpled. _A hello would have been nice,_ Capable thought as she slunk past the others towards her things.

The four planned to pillage for supplies throughout the main room, the upper loft and their old shared bedroom. The Dag's belly was showing more now, and in spite of her enthusiasm, the others insisted she go easy. While she eventually relented, it meant that the task of sorting went slower than they had hoped. Other than clothes, there were also various lamps and generators, assorted furniture, ornate mirrors, paints and easels, scientific and astronomical equipment from Miss Giddy's lessons, and old engines and mechanical pieces to tinker with...anything to keep their minds off escaping. The sun was soon high overhead, casting harsh rays through the sand-caked glass. They were happy to see that the central bath still had some water. At one point Cheedo soaked a cheesecloth linen and draped it over her head and neck, so Capable did the same and found some relief.  
The group worked room to room, and soon Capable found herself relaxing as they began to joke around and giggle like old times. They reminisced about pleasant memories spent here together, and she found that the earlier tension upon her arrival had since drifted away. Even if this prison was her nightmare, she still held a conflicting fondness for moments with them here. As she dug through a box of Old World trinkets, her throat tightened with the realization of how much she had missed them over the last few weeks. She'd been so focused on Nux, she never thought to check in in them to see how they were all coping. She assumed they had been fine, but maybe not. After all, they shared the same trauma...and had just lost one of their own. Maybe that's why they were acting so cold. A pang of guilt swelled in her gut again. From now on, she was going to try to be more mindful by spending less time in the medical wing, especially now that Nux was stable.

"How did we end up with so much stuff?" Capable asked aloud as she added another handful of books to her pile.

"By being royal pains in the ass," Toast chirped from the other room.

This was true, Capable smirked. The girls had been spoiled as much as slaves could, since it was assumed that a pampered slave was a docile slave. Capable felt a wave of pride that they had assumed wrong. Even so, she adored her books, and there were few she could bear to abandon. Even the massive medical textbooks or piles of dog-eared fiction. As Capable dug through a box of the late Miss Giddy's even greater pile, it crossed her mind that the ex-wives were probably the only ones in the entire Citadel to own or even touch luxury items. It was probably a very different experience from Nux. It seemed that everything a War Boy 'owns', he uses or consumes. She wasn't even sure if they were aware of the concept of ownership. What about the blood bags, though? _Did Nux think he owned Max?_ She would have to ask him if he wakes up. _When,_ she corrected herself.

Once each of them had their own supplies in an assortment of sacs and metal crates, they reluctantly agreed to start with splitting up Splendid's things amongst themselves. It felt grotesque, but Capable went along with it for the sake of the others. Soon the mood grew sombre. The four worked in silence, the only sound being the shuffle of packing intermittently mixed with quiet sobs. The hot air grew thick with unspoken guilt for her being the only one not to make it back to freedom. Splendid, after all, was the one who had convinced them to leave. Capable was bothered by the fact that, unlike herself, the girls seemed to have a hard time even speaking her name. There would be a "pass me _her_ dress," or " _she_ would have liked you to have this." No name.  
With Splendid's bed neatly made and her brush in its place on her nightstand, she could have still lived here. As the group worked in the main room, Capable kept expecting her to appear around the corner, or to fill the air again with a slightly out of tune yet beautiful piano melody that she had excitedly worked out for her sisters the night before. The room began to reek of sour cherries. Capable hated everything about this place. Or perhaps she just missed her friend.

The slow, sweltering progress was delayed even further by interruptions. Capable had to briefly pause from packing to embrace Cheedo, who had become beside herself and dropped a box of jewellery. The Dag made some offhand comment about coddling her, but Capable ignored it and assisted Cheedo recover the pieces strewn across the floor. As she placed a tiny broach of Splendid's into Cheedo's hand, Capable didn't let herself cry. This time, at least. There was no use wasting fluid on the dead when life drank enough of it out of you already.

The heat was now stifling, and every movement and step became a struggle. The women had dragged the wooden crates of books and artifacts into a narrow wedge of shade near the staircase to work, but after another half hour they were back in full sun. Toast kept humming the same incessant song, grating Capable's nerves, so she decided to get away from her and head up to the loft. Capable dragged herself up the stone stairs for the hundredth time but didn't notice that The Dag was on her way down, balancing an oil lamp balanced precariously against her belly, and accidentally clipped her shoulder. The Dag nearly tumbled off the side, but caught her footing and the lamp in time.

"Thanks, I was just thinking I'd like a broken neck!" The Dag snapped.

A mumbled _sorry_ was passed, but the The Dag huffed and continued down. While Capable largely enjoyed The Dag's company, sometimes her airy sarcasm could be grating. When Capable made it back down the steps with arms full, she rolled her eyes when she saw that Cheedo was once again crumpled amid belongings. Toast also noticed Cheedo at that point, and threw her arms up in resignation. "Seriously? OK now you're just being pathetic! Let's just get this DONE! It's way too hot for this."

"Please! Can we just leave the rest? I never want to see any of this again anyway," Cheedo whimpered between tears. Toast began to chew her out, but Capable ignored their spat and made her way to her own growing pile of belongings. Capable agreed with Cheedo...she wanted to be done as soon as possible. Everything was a reminder of a life she'd be happy to leave behind. After shoving most of her clothes and keepsakes into a canvas bag, she grabbed the first things of Spendid's that she had admired in eyesight. A tiny pendant of a bird (a seagull? Whatever that was) and small wooden clock radio with a broken door. This could actually be handy. It would need major fixing and fortunately The Dag had some tools. Joe has confiscated her own after she gave Rictus a bloody lip one day. As The Dag passed her on her way to the bedroom, Capable raised up the clock. "Hey, do you think I could borrow your small screwdriver set?"

The Dag turned to her. "I dunno, are you gonna run off with it?"

It took a moment for the comment to register. "Excuse me?" Capable stared at The Dag, who had an amused smirk on her face as Toast rolled her eyes. She didn't have the energy for The Dag's wonderful wit right now. "Uh, can I borrow it?"

"I guess so. Just when you bring it back please don't drag any more dying War Boys home. I have enough, thanks."

Capable clenched her jaw and turned back to her pile of belongings, kneeling to throw the clock and some dresses into her canvas bag before slinging it over her shoulder. _Maybe now is a good time to leave._

The Dag leaned her tall frame over Capable's shoulder, adding, "Plus they might be starting to pong by now!"

That was it. Capable stood up to face her. "What is your problem?!"

"I'm just saying, I don't know about lending you things. You haven't had a reputation for being very reliable lately." The Dag then tossed back her blond head in a cackle. "I'm just teasing, Cape. Don't take things so seriously."

"No, let's hear it, Dag. What's so 'unreliable' about me?"

"Can you two stop it?" Toast interjected, but neither women seemed to register it.

The Dag placed a hand on her hip near her bulging belly and gawked. "You _can't_ be serious! You don't think we've all forgotten about your little stunt?"

Capable raised her arms. "Why are you bringing this up NOW of all times? And why does it matter anymore? I made it back just fine!" From the corner of her eye she could see Cheedo the Fragile sitting on the edge of some books, her nails digging into their worm-eaten spines.

"You weren't fine. We all heard the gunshots. Everyone thought you were Buzzard food." The Dag pointed. "Toast was beside herself."

"Don't bring me into this!" Toast growled from near the window.

"Can we please just leave it be?" Capable begged. "We're back. Isn't that enough?"

The Dag's voice grew. "Why should it be? Do you even know what you put everyone through? Do you even care that you almost undid everything Furiosa risked her life for? Why do you think she doesn't want to deal with you anymore?"

That hit her in the gut. Hard. "I don't want to argue about this! Can we just finish here already?" Capable grabbed more stuff on the floor, but was interrupted by The Dag ripping a shirt from her hand.

"No, you just don't want to admit that you acted selfish."

Capable's jaw dropped. "Selfish? It was FOR Nux! You owe your goddamn life to him!"

"And you owe yours to Furiosa!" The Dag's arm swung towards the Vault entrance. "You think we'd be standing here with that _thing_ open if it wasn't for her? Then you throw away everything she risked for us just for some dead Boy?"

"Is he DEAD now?"

"No, but he probably will be soon. Half-life or not."

Stunned, Capable suddenly felt her face grow hot with rage. " _Enough_! Can you just drop it!?"

The Dag crossed her arms. "Why should we?"

"I'm _sorry_ , okay?!" Capable snarled.

"Sorry?" This time it was Toast. "You're not sorry! We tore the whole Citadel apart looking for you, and this is just coming out now? You don't even care."

"How DARE you think I don't care, Toast!""

Toast's face contorted to anger and she stormed up to Capable. "You want to know what I _really_ think? I think you've been a self-centered asshole! First you take off in the night, and then we barely see you at all. All you ever said since our plan started was that you didn't want to be treated like a wife anymore, but all you've done since being back is nurse some Boy! When are you ever in the yard helping the _other_ wounded? When Furiosa's organizing the salvage runs and needs a hand, where are you?"

Capable felt herself trembling. Her throat was raw.

Toast continued. "The Dag's right, though. You spend half your life with some kid you just met a few weeks ago like some pathetic teenage girl! What pisses me off most is that you were the one who was first on board with Splendid's plan, and then you just abandon us, just like that! Nice to know you think that much of us!"

"That's not it!" Capable cried, eyes now stinging with tears of anger and pain. "I _need_ to be there for him. They might unplug his... What if he wakes up?"

The Dag's lips curled into a sneer. "And what if he doesn't?"

Those words. She glared at The Dag in silence, her blood seething, while Toast's chest rose and fell with panted breaths. Capable wanted to tear down everything in front of her. Without another word, Capable tossed her bag at their feet and stormed out of the vault, kicking up dust in her wake.

~o~

Capable passed the lift and tore down the southern stairway. _A Selfish Little Child._ The Dag's bitter last words followed Capable down the tunnel and rang in her eardrums. _Stupid cow!_ O hell, Capable could have hit The Dag's smug – and in her opinion, increasingly fat – face. Capable couldn't believe she had the audacity to say those things about Nux. What did _she_ know about Nux's condition? Did she see how hard he was fighting to live? A fury pulsed through her. _Did she even care?_ They could eat their words. All that mattered was his life right now. Capable flew down to the only place she felt at home. She pushed through the heavy medical doors, but as she entered, the handsome nurse with a damaged face stepped in front of her.

"What's going on?" Capable asked, and fear instantly began to form a lump in her throat. "Oh gods, Nux!"

The nurse shook his head. "No, no, he's stable. Sorry Miss, but we just have someone coming out of a difficult surgery right now and we can't have visitors for the next little while. Doctor's orders."

"But...I can stay out of the way!"

"Sorry, essential personnel only. It shouldn't be long. Come back in a few hours."

"But I need –"

"Don't worry." The nurse gave her a sad smile. "He'll still be around when you get back."

As the door swung closed behind her. Capable leaned against the wall and took a shuddered breath. Her hands were shaking. She needed to get out of this suffocating hallway. Climbing down two more flights, Capable returned to her rock outcrop and slumped over the upper barrier, grasping the metal with clenched fists. She ignored the pain of twisted steel digging into her ribs. After a moment of shaky breaths, she dropped into her regular spot, legs dangling. With arms pressed on the lower barricade, she let the breeze sooth her heated face.  
After a few minutes, Capable felt calmer. Down below a new crowd of War Boys were busy on their ramshackle machines. Watching their coordinated dance, for a moment she hated them. Why were they allowed to roam around healthy and unburdened by broken bones and an ending half-life? Why did they get time and Nux didn't?

Thoughts went back to the argument. What did Toast mean by she abandoned them? Capable truly missed being with them, but she just couldn't bear the thought of something happening to Nux while she was gone. _How can they not understand that,_ she thought, the anger growing again. She kicked herself too for not making that clearer. And why did The Dag treat her like that? She just wanted things to be normal _. "Is that too much to ask?"_ Capable yelled at the Citadel, but with the raucous noise of machines and metal below, it didn't yell back. This was agonizing. They were probably bitching about her now. She hated the thought that those girls could be exchanging nasty words in her absence.  
Normally when things went sour with one of the girls, she would give it enough time and they would make amends. She hoped, at least... but that mention of Furiosa... Did she _really_ want nothing to do with her? She thought she knew Furiosa well, but maybe forgiveness was not in her vocabulary. Capable shuddered in the breeze. Was it always going to be like this, walking around on glass while the rest of the world despised you?

Capable drew circles in the sand beside her discarded boots. The sun seared her scalp even this late in the afternoon, but she didn't care. She just wanted to be in the medical bay, the only place where she didn't feel like an outsider. She was pretty much trapped here now. She couldn't head down to the rations room, since there was a good chance Furiosa would be there. She couldn't go up to her room on the greenhouse level, lest risk running into one of the girls. For such a massive place, it suddenly felt crowded. And for such a crowded city, she had never felt more alone.

 _What else could go wrong?_ Capable's stomach jolted. There was something else she had completely pushed out of her mind until now; something that she had been hoping to talk to Toast about, actually. It had been one week since her moon cycle was supposed to happen. The thought that a part of Joe could live on with her through another heir made her feel queasy. She knew she had options, but it was too much to think of now. She wanted to cry. Squinting her eyes, she tried to make it happen, but nothing came out and eventually she gave up. She longed to feel something now other than decay.

~o~

A lone Pup was sitting on a car hood and picking his teeth with an antenna shard below. An hour or so had passed, and Capable was just contemplating getting up to see if the medical bay was open again when she heard approaching footsteps on the dull granite to her right. Her stomach churned as she sensed someone stop beside her. _Great._ She looked up and was met with a pleasant hint of surprise. Mr. Max Rockatansky.  
A wave of relief washed over her at the familiarity of his face. He added a sense of sanity to the mix, ironically so. Perhaps it was his calm demeanor, or the fact that he was the face of hope for sticking around. She knew he wouldn't initiate, so she gave a muffle of acknowledgement as he sat down next to her. Capable turned her attention back to the business below and Max joined her. Finally, his gruff voice cut the silence:

"Y'holding up?"

She shrugged and picked up a pebble to throw near one of the War Boys. It hit the roof of one of their vehicles and came to a rest near legs sticking out from below a car hood. One Boy looked around in confusion before continuing with his busy work.

Max nudged her shoulder. It was clear that a shrug was not an acceptable answer. She spoke. "Holding up as well as I can, considering."

Capable contemplated telling Max about the fight, but didn't know if she had the energy for it. Instead, she glanced sideways at Max. "Furiosa's still not saying more than a few words to me."

"Mm."

Some War Boys had managed to disembowel one of the Buzzard's vehicles and were taking off the rusty spines, one by one. Capable swallowed. It was worth asking, but she was nervous. _Why not?_

"Has she said anything to you about me?"

Max shook his head and looked up to the gardens on the Western Butte. His grey eyes traced the suspension line leading to a grappling hook hanging above.

Capable's stomach sank. "Oh. Okay. I mean, it's been two weeks, but I know she has her hands full with everything. Have you talked to her at all?"

"Yes...Have you?"

"No...Not yet. I don't think she wants to talk. It's just gonna turn into another fight." Capable shrugged. "I don't think it'd make any difference anyway. She'll never forgive me for leaving."

"She'll come around."

Her throat felt dry. "How can you be so sure?"

"Mm. Just talk to her."

Capable shuddered a breath. That was the last thing she wanted. She loathed another conflict, and all she had to look forward to would be more vitriol and many days-worth of guilt. Why could time heal a half-dead cancer-ridden boy, but not Capable's pride?

Max nodded, and again: "She'll come 'round."

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed it as he stood up. Capable smiled sadly; the gesture brought a flash of Roads, consoling her with a soft pat on the head that day when her first V6 engine failed to run. _Strange_... _I haven't thought about that in years._

Turning her head to Max, she noticed the bandage. "How's that hole in your hand?" She asked.

Max didn't say anything, just stared off at something in the distance. He did this sometimes; off to his place.

"Max? Your hand?"

"Hmm? Mm." Max held up a bandaged arm. "No good. Can still see through it."

"You'd be really good at playing Hide Seek."

Max looked at her quizzically, so Capable looked up at him and placed both palms over her eyes in gesture, grinning. She let out a laugh, her first one for a while, she thought. Max tried to mask his smirk, but the corner of his lip betrayed him.

As Capable swam again in her strange memory about the engine, Max picked up his jacket and turned to leave, when a loud buzz pierced the silence. They looked at each other in mutual confusion before it registered as sinking fear. _The Doppler!_

Capable took off toward the medical wing while Max followed at a jog behind her. The sound of her bare feet and his heavy boots slapping granite stairs echoed in the stone cut hall, while the alarm grew louder with each desperate step. _Did Nux's heart stop? Did they disconnect him?_ Capable's limbs grew heavy with dread, but still she pushed onward. A medical trainee had emerged from another chamber joined their path towards the dreaded door.

 _O gods, don't let him be dead! Don't let him be dead! I'm not ready to be alone..._

~o~

The alarm thrummed painfully in Capable's ears as she tore down the hallway. She launched through the door and came to a dead stop at the sight before her. Max crashed into her back but caught her before she tumbled.  
Nux was sitting up straight in his cot. He stared at them, wide eyed, one hand grasping the detached Doppler as the alarm echoed on and on throughout the Citadel.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE: Nux.**

A wall of shocked faces greeted Nux at the doorway, the alarm still shaking off its nail. The ringing and glaring lights spun Nux's head in circles, and he fought to find something, anything in the room to focus his eyes on. Through blurred vision, he saw the figures close in from each side. The smell of flesh and chemicals stung his nostrils, and a sudden image flashed of driving through the Wasteland under pursuit. He knew the dunes were said to be inhabited by those who live on flesh... Buzzards!  
Panicking, Nux lurched away from the reaching figures. He scrambled back and tore at the sheets. Arms grabbed him from each side, but with a surge of adrenaline, he was able to twist free. His body screamed in pain, but he wasn't going to be eaten, _no, no!_

"It's okay! It's okay!" A female voice kept repeating. "You're okay!"

In spite of his newfound strength, there were just too many of them. Nux kicked and squirmed, but he couldn't get away from their grasp. He tried to cry out but his throat was too raw.

"Nux!" The familiarity of his name and _that_ voice lessened his struggle.

"Nux, calm down! It's me, you're okay! It's just the hospital. You're safe!"

Gradually, he stopped struggling, and all hands released him. However, all of his energy upon waking had gone into the fight. Nux's vision spun as he began to fall sideways off the cot.  
The young woman cried out and caught him under his arms and waist. In spite of his fear, he knew this wasn't a gesture of someone who wanted to hurt him. Finally, whether from exhaustion or the new sensation of comfort enveloping him, Nux gave in and let the darkness pull him down again.

~o~

Nux swam through dreams and memories as the voices of the figures tried calling him back. He ignored them and rocked along on the boat, enjoying the waves. This had not actually been his first awakening. It had happened the evening earlier, just for a moment, when the Citadel was asleep. He had awoken under a black sky with a dozen moons that looked like fluorescent lights. The room had been silent except for strange chirps and a repeating beep every minute or so. He reasoned they must have been birds flitting around the sky, eating nocturnal insects. Night hawks. Lights had flickered in strange sequences all around him, speaking a secret language to each other that he couldn't comprehend. There was a small figure lying on a cot next to him, and when he tried to move his wrist he found it to be weighed down by an hand that was not his own. He didn't feel pain at the time, only peace. That was the last thing he remembered until the voices once again stirred him from his dreams.

"Look, he's waking up!"

Nux was welcomed once again by the hum of machines. Night hawks darted around the lights, eating bugs in the sky, before disappearing into nothing. How much time had passed he couldn't say. As Nux struggled to sit up again, a young woman ran over and threw her arms around him. A twinge of pain shot up his ribs, but he ignored it and swam in this familiar warmth. Soft breath heated his neck. Warm lips pressed against his cheek. Closing his eyes, he rolled in the waves of comfort.

"Oh my gods, Nux! I can't believe it!" The woman's trembling voice reverberated through his own body as she pressed close to him. When she pulled away, an elderly nurse pushed between them and began fussing with his dressings and IV, checking that nothing had been ripped out. Once satisfied, the nurse raised the back of the gurney so that Nux could sit up without effort.  
However, with his awakening state came the pain. It started in his chest and throat, then spread to every inch of him. _Glory, the pain!_ It was as if his body had been set aflame and run over by the Gigahorse.

Every thought was overwhelmed by the wildfire until he felt someone grasp his hand. He fixated on the texture of her skin, how her fingers moved, just to take his mind off the agony. The woman's voice quivered: "I can't believe it! We didn't know if you'd ever..." she paused. "We brought you back to the hospital. You've been unconscious for weeks. Do you remember what happened?"

Nux tried to think. With both the pain and head trauma, he felt like he was lost in a dust storm, spinning in its torrential wind. "Crashing..." he swallowed a lump. "Buzzards. Riding on the ocean." Each word was a struggle against the fire in his throat.

"Oh...Okay." The girl nodded with understanding, but her face betrayed concern. "Anything else before that?"

There were so many blank spaces in Nux's mind. How did he get here? Before the crash and the ocean, the last thing he remembered was driving glorious. Plus an image of a woman reaching out to him and grasping at air. That last image unsettled him. He could recall bits and pieces, but everything seemed grainy. The dark began pulling again but he fought to stay awake.

"Nux... Do you remember who I am?"

He looked over the young woman, piecing together the fragments of memories, or dreams, to find her. She was familiar, but the dust kept getting in the way of his eyes to see her face clearly. Nux blinked a few times and his vision finally came into focus. She wore her hair in braids that would tickle if too close. _Capable! Of course._ He wanted to say that he knew her, but now it was hard to create words when the slightest movement elicited pain. The longer he kept silent, the more her face transformed from hope into devastation. He grasped through his stormy mind for the words.

"Cape... Capable."

The woman sighed in relief, and he noticed that her eyes filled with tears. She hugged him again. "Thank gods." Every touch hurt, but as the fractured memories of his time with her slowly crept back, he didn't care. There were no Buzzards, no gates. After what wasn't long enough Capable pulled away, wet streaking her face. Nux frowned. He hadn't meant to hurt her.

"Are... you... sad?"

Capable laughed and wiped her eyes. He definitely remembered that laugh.

"No, just so relieved to see you." Capable placed a hand on his forehead. "How're you feeling?"

Nux took an agonizing breath. "Diz...zy," he swallowed fire again. "And... My throat."

"I'm sure. You've had a feeding tube in a few times. It's going to hurt for a while," Capable said as she stroked his hand. He noticed it was trembling on his. "If it hurts to talk, don't worry," Capable choked back tears. "Gods, I'm so glad you're awake again. You freaked us out an hour ago when you flipped out. We thought it might have been another seizure, so we've been waiting since. Oh, and you managed to rip out your IV."

Nux glanced down at his bruised arm and the clear tube. A hospital. _Of course!_ It must be the medical wing in the Citadel. Why on earth did he think Buzzards would eat him? Nux felt his face grow red with embarrassment on recalling how he had reacted so fearfully, especially in front of Capable. War Boys aren't supposed to be afraid. What would she think of him now? Even in his woozy state, he became aware of his nakedness under a rough blanket. Oh gods, had he thrown the blanket off when he struggled? He couldn't recall, but the fact that it was even a possibility made him want to crawl and hide under it right now. He used his stronger hand to pull the blanket tighter against his torso.

"No one thought you would make it," Capable said. "After the War Rig crashed, we all assumed you were dead."

"How... how long?" Nux swallowed.

"Ago? Oh, two weeks."

Two weeks gone. That was hard to fathom, so instead Nux just focused on breathing. One, two, one. It dawned on him that he couldn't move his right leg. When he tried, rivets of pain ricocheted throughout it. His face contorted. "Ugh! My leg... It hurts much."

"Don't try to move! You have a lot of healing to do."

With his vision almost normal and the room no longer spinning, Nux finally took in his surroundings. Figures still stood around, watching him from afar, and Nux scanned their faces and saw what's-his-name... _Bloodbag!_  
Just as he was about to say something to his old comrade, a large woman with a cane appeared at the door and swiftly walked up beside Capable. "Ah! So you finally decided to grace us with your presence!" She gently placed a hand on Nux's shoulder. "I'm the physician here. How are you feeling, love?"

Nux looked up at her, but this action rolled something like a cannonball in his brain, making his skull throb. "My head..." he moaned.

"You had a serious concussion, and are probably dehydrated, in spite of our efforts. We'll try to get some more fluids in you. Right now we just have to do a few tests to see how you're doing. Is that okay?"

Nux nodded as much as the cannonball in his head would allow.

"Perfect. You are quite a fighter, but you're sure lucky to have this lovely lady fighting even harder for you," the doctor-woman smiled at him and Nux averted his eyes. Ruin adjusted his fluid levels and began his taking vitals, starting with applying a blood pressure cuff. "I don't know if your lady said, but you broke your tibia and fibula in the crash, plus some ribs. You also lost quite a bit of muscle from your right calf. We almost had to amputate the leg, since there was a pretty bad infection. Fortunately your old boy Joe has been hoarding tonnes of medicine."

Capable grasped Nux's hand again and leaned against the bed frame as the Doctor left to retrieve another lactated ringer. "You also needed a lot of blood," She smiled. "And you have Max to thank for that."

Nux blinked at her in confusion. "Who?"

"Max! Oh. Uh, I guess you weren't there for that part. Him." Capable gestured towards his Bloodbag, who was leaning awkwardly against a counter. Max shuffled side to side on his feet. "You know, he gave you as much blood as he could... voluntarily this time. Even that first night, after giving Furiosa some. Probably saved your life."

Nux tilted his head up at Max in thanks, War Boy style, and Max returned the gesture.

Max raised himself slowly to his full height and made for the door, and muttered gruffly, "I'll go tell her."

"He means Furiosa," Capable clarified at Nux's confused glance. She sighed. "I don't think I've ever heard him say her name."

As the doctor continued her prodding, Nux closed his eyes tightly. The scent of old wounds and bleach began to make him feel nauseous. He coughed raw, and his ribs shifted in a way they weren't built to move.

Noticing his discomfort, Capable stood. "Aw, hun! Where are you hurting?" she asked, fussing over him.

"Every... everywhere."

Capable frowned and watched him struggle. She began to say something but her words blurred together with each new throb in Nux's head. He couldn't concentrate and felt the room begin to spin again.

The Doctor returned. "This will help with the pain, but you may feel a little sleepy." She pulled his IV and released fluid into the catheter. Nux felt a cool sensation rush up his arm. The slow stream moved along his veins and rinsed his body clean of the fire. He opened his mouth to Capable to tell her how lovely he now felt, but by that time he had already drifted off to sleep.

~o~

Nux slept for on and off for three days, only waking for short periods before slipping off again. Although they had him up and moving as much as they could, those first few days Nux lived in and out of a disassociated state. Dreams blurred into reality, and he was too sore and nauseous to notice or feel shame about what was done to him medically. He was dragged along like a zombie by the nurses and Doctor, submitting to every scan and jab. However, each day the amount of time he stayed awake grew longer until that sandstorm that had clouded his mind finally cleared.

His first strong day was nearly a week after his initial emergence from the coma. He woke up in the morning, feeling strangely alert, only to find Capable across from him near the sink, packing a satchel with medical supplies. She looked up suddenly, almost surprised to see him there.

"Oh. Hey!" She abandoned her bag and darted to his side.

"Hi," He blinked, his voice raspy from lack of use. Nux felt his cot shift as Capable leaned her weight onto the faded mattress pad.

"Do you want to sit up?" she asked.

Nux hesitated. When he tried that yesterday, the throbbing in his head was so bad it nearly made him pass out again. He tested it out now by moving his neck and shoulders, and when it felt like there were only ball-bearings as opposed to cannonballs rolling around in his skull, he nodded. With the utmost care, Capable raised the cot and helped him sit upright. While each bend in his backbone shot fire again throughout his ribcage, it felt good to be moving at all. Ignoring the dull ache in his head, he took in the large room with wide, admiring eyes. He had never been here, but its dim light and acrid scent reminded him of that time he had to visit the medical station on the ground level to reset a dislocated shoulder. That station was a pitiful comparison to this modern facility.  
Nux tried to readjust his position but ended up causing a sharp twinge to the muscle under his arm. "Ugh!" he groaned.

"Take it easy, okay? It's going to take some time. We can give you things for the pain in the meantime."

"Chrome?" Nux asked, sitting up taller.

"That... that isn't really medication."

"Oh." He closed his eyes to shut away the spinning sensation.

"We've got Old World meds instead. Joe's meds. You're on some painkillers too. They might make you a bit woozy."

"Oh, okay. Good."

In this new position, Nux sensed his body slowly coming back to life. He tested his strength again, this time more carefully, using his arms to shift himself back on the bed. He was unsteady, but was happy to find he could at least raise himself. He was also immensely relieved to discover that he was wearing dark hospital scrubs from the waist down and no longer just a blanket. War Boys weren't ones for modesty, but it was awkward knowing that his entire body had been completely at the whim of the medical staff. Nux's face and neck suddenly grew hot. Had Capable been around for _everything_? He fidgeted with the tape on his IV to try to distract himself from these intrusive thoughts.

Capable climbed onto her own cot and sat cross-legged next to him with her hands in her lap. "Better?"

"Much." Nux smiled as he took her in. Capable was different than how he remembered her. She had tired circles under her eyes, but her face was flush and fuller from better nutrition. She wore not those cheesecloth linens that had made her seem almost ethereal, but _real_ clothes; grey shorts and a loose blue top that kept slipping off her shoulder in a fascinating way. However, there was something else besides her new wardrobe. She looked... happy. Whether it was from memory loss or not, he couldn't recall ever seeing this part of her in the short time he knew her. Scared, grieved, comforted, determined, yes. But never _happy_. He liked this new look, and found it difficult to pull his eyes away.

Capable clambered around the bed again until she was now kneeling. "This is so amazing! This is the first time I _actually_ feel excited about the Citadel. I've been so worried about you I couldn't think of anything else." Capable threw her arms in the air. "Glory, I still can't believe you're here!"

"Same," Nux gruffly replied, "I thought I was going to the Gates."

Capable frowned. "Oh. Are you... mad I –we– brought you back?"

Nux shook his head. "Why? I got to see you again." _At least one more time,_ he thought as he recalled his own ending Half-Life. A pang of sadness came from somewhere within, something that had never been associated with his shortened lifespan before. It was odd. He was happy to see her, but it felt somewhat bittersweet. At least he had _some_ extra time; that was a good thing at least.

Capable smirked and looked down at her hands. "So... how are you feeling now?"

"Rusted, but... strangely good."

Capable grinned. "Good enough to eat and drink?" She jumped off her cot to retrieve a canister and some containers from the nearby table. "Ruin says you need to get something down."

"I can try."

She handed Nux a water canister, of which he took careful sips. His throat was still raw from the feeding tube, but he hadn't realized how much his mouth craved moisture. After a few mouthfuls, Capable continued. "She said no solid foods yet, so I made this from rations a few times this week in case you felt well enough to eat." She lifted up an aluminum thermos. "Simulated chicken soup! Yesterday I just ate it myself when you fell asleep again, haha! Plus Ruin gave me this..." She showed Nux a glass jar with a pureed brown substance. "It looks gross, I know. It's pretty much just protein and vegetable mush with Mother's Milk, but it will get you your strength back. I tried it... it's not too bad, just don't expect anything gourmet."

Nux started with the soup. His hands were too shaky to hold a spoon, so Capable just poured it into the lid, which he brought to his dry lips. At first his body protested, but as the warm, salty brine flowed over his taste buds and down his throat, something internal switched on and he became ravenous. He finished the soup at a pace that made Capable grin.

As Nux tried to eat some of the mush, Capable wrung her hands together and looked down. "So do you remember... anything?"

"Yeah," he nodded, but the movement caused dust to return to his vision, making him squint. "The nuts and bolts of it." His memory was patchy. He couldn't recall the actual crash, just pieces between waking up to a girl rubbing her own face and floating over dunes. However, fortunately their journey on the Fury Road was still as clear as day. He put down the mush after three mouthfuls. It was all he could manage for now.

"Do you remember... us?"

"That's a stupid question."

"Hey! How am I supposed to know?" Capable giggled and gently pushed him with her fist.

"And what about this?" Nux glanced around the Medical Bay. "What happened here? Where's Immortan Joe...?"

"Oh. Well, that's a long story."

Capable then explained everything that happened since his injury, from their conquest over Joe to Nux's rescue. He felt his neck flush as she described (with a hint of pride) how she had commandeered a bike to retrieve him that night. It sounded like some escapist fantasy, not something that could happen to someone like _him_. He was just a War Boy, after all, one of hundreds. Thousands total in their existence, maybe. This had never in the history of the Citadel happened. No War Boy was worth a rescue mission.

Capable gave every animated detail, from the terrifying moment of nearly tumbling into the crevice to the pursuit by Rock Riders. However, as she continued, Nux felt suddenly ill, and he knew it wasn't related to his injuries. It was shame. His near death had almost cost Capable her own life. She was hand-selected as one of the best female specimens in a landscape stricken by disfiguration and disease to bear the children of a living god. She was strong and resolute, destined to be one of the new Citadel's future leaders, yet she had risked her valuable life for something completely expendable.

Nux picked at the IV in his wrist as these uncomfortable thoughts churned his stomach. Capable made to pull his hand away, but paused when she saw he had grown sullen. "Is something wrong?"

"No, just my head still," he lied and looked into her worried eyes. _Okay, don't be stupid._ If she went through all that for him, there must be a good reason. After all, she was the one who had spoken up for him on the salt flats. She was the one who chose to stay by his side all those hours in their turret, and that lovely night under the satellites. These new thoughts livened him up a bit. Nux looked up to her with brightened blue eyes and gave a meek smile.

Capable sighed. "Okay. Well hopefully you can get some drugs to help with that soon."

At that moment another figure appeared at the door. Both turned to the entrance, and Nux felt a strange swell at the sight of her familiar face. _Furiosa!_ Nux grinned. Although he hadn't known her long, it was comforting to see her again. She looked haggard, but there was a shine in her eyes now instead of pain and raw determination as he had only known. It was strange seeing her without oil coating her skull, but even without it she looked intimidating. Nux could see she had a new arm fitted. It wasn't as shine as her first, but it seemed to work well enough.  
He turned back to Capable, but was confused to find her expression had darkened. She stared at the ground with brows knitted, her lips pursed in a tight frown.

Furiosa stopped a few feet away from them, her good arm tight at her side. Her voice was curt. "I'd just like a word, with Nux."

"Oh, okay. I'll go." Capable jumped off the bed and grabbed her bag.

"No, there's no need. I don't have time to talk long. Stay if you want."

"No, it's fine! I know you're busy. I'll go." It was clear that Capable was trying to mask a bitterness in her voice, but it still seeped through.

"I'll see you later." Capable whispered to Nux and left his side before he could say a word. She skulked past Furiosa without making eye contact, and rushed out the door, shutting it with a loud, resonating thud. _That was weird._

Furiosa turned her attention back to Nux. "Good to see you're alert. How're you feeling?"

"Pretty corroded, but better."

"Good. Do you need anything?"

Nux shook his head.

"Good." Furiosa carefully moved to the next bed and sat down across from him, taking a few deep breaths. After a moment, she looked up. "You surprised all of us, you know. Even getting back here alive. You're lucky you have a friend who enjoys making very stupid decisions like taking off into the desert alone at night." She tilted her head towards the door. Nux smirked. Furiosa's chest rose and fell with another deep exhale. "I never got to thank you for what you did for those girls. And for us." _Did she mean her and Max?_ "I know you and I had a rough start, but your help and sacrifice saved a lot of lives. More than once. I will always be eternally grateful for that."

Nux didn't say a word. What could he say?

"In that case, we're going to do whatever we can to help you recover."

 _Recover?_ Nux felt a sinking in his stomach again. She must know that he was at the end of his Half-Life, mustn't she?

Furiosa continued. "I know that Joe wasn't one to be patient for injuries and had a habit of finishing the job if you Boys didn't heal fast enough, but we don't need any of that machoism here. Just take the time you need to recover. Don't push yourself before you're ready."

"Ready? Ready for what?"

Furiosa paused. "I was actually hoping you would help me with something. The War Boys have been pretty compliant up to this point, but I've heard that there are quite a few who are not so keen about the change... especially those still trickling back from the Fury Road. Like Capable said on the salt flat, you brought back what was stolen, so they'll respect you. They'll look up to you, and I'm sure you can bring the rest in line. I know I can count on you for that."

Nux felt heat go to his face. He didn't know if that was true, that he could be a voice for their cause, but he was honored that she had such faith in him. "Thank you, Furiosa. I can try as much as I can before the fevers get me."

"Actually, that is something else I came to talk to you about. We might be able to get you more time."

Nux just stared at her blankly. Those words did not belong together.

"We have something... something experimental. It's from the Old World. I talked to Ruin about it and convinced some of the others. Joe's been hoarding more than just combat medicine. Your doctor actually specialized in this thirty years ago before she was taken. She said she would talk to you about it more, but based on your tests she seems pretty confident that it might make a difference. What do you think? Do you want to give it a go and try to add some time to your life?" she smiled.

Nux felt light-headed and his mind swarmed with a million thoughts. _What was this treatment? How much extra time? Would it hurt? But I WANT to die... Or do I? And what about Capable...?_ He felt a wave of excitement at the thought of more time spent with her, then a sudden fear... _But what if it doesn't work?_

"Yeah. Wow. Okay." However, at that moment Nux thought of War Boys long gone, and felt a chill remembering the awful experimental procedures that the Senior Organic Mechanic had tried, but had ended horrifically. "But is it safe? Has it been done before?"

Furiosa stood up. "We started with some of the sickest Wretcheds down on the ground as a last resort to test it out, and apparently they've been doing well so far. Not worse, at least. It seems like it's safe enough to start on War Boys, and you definitely have priority if you want. You know, I don't think Joe realized just how costly War Boys are. You put in all this time and resources into War Pups, just for them to die in their prime. Ruin and I managed to convince the Mechanic and the other medical staff that this is a better investment," Furiosa stated matter-of-factly as she moved towards the door. "Good. I'll talk to Ruin, then. Try to get some rest."

With that Furiosa exited the room, leaving Nux with this dizzying news. He was in awe and appreciative that Furiosa had pressured the medical staff to make this treatment available. He couldn't be sure if it was for his own benefit, or just the Citadel's. Maybe both? Either way, in that moment, Nux became the first War Boy in their short history to have a glimpse of a Full-Life.

~o~

The following week was a slow but steady recovery. Capable was gone longer and longer, and while she was away Nux would anticipate her return. He enjoyed how she would always talk fast about daily events to the point he had to ask her to slow down to keep from getting light-headed. Two days earlier he had been moved into the room next to the medical bay in the wing, further down from the stairs, which housed less critical patients and those undergoing longer treatment. He didn't know this existed, and neither did Capable, apparently. As his health returned, so did his pride, so it was nice to have some privacy with each bed separated by curtains. There were only six beds total, and for most of the time these were unoccupied. Although it was still a medical facility, it was quieter, brighter, and generally more pleasant in here, largely on account of the large window cut into the eastern wall that brought in fresh air and natural light.

"Are you kidding me?" Capable had gasped when she first walked in and saw this opening to the outside world. "All this time I've been running down two flights of stairs for this view."

Max visited from time to time; he had actually been the one to help Nux move into this new space, since Capable had a hard time supporting Nux's tall frame on her own. While a rusty old wheelchair had been available, Nux had refused it. He was determined to get moving on his own. Fortunately, with practice he was eventually able to hobble around using a crutch made of old furniture and car pieces. The handle and padding came from an old sofa. A crutch wasn't something one came across often in the Citadel. Treatment for War Boys was based on what would keep them working. You were either alive, dead, or on your way to be dead. He didn't really want to use it, but what choice did he have? It was too small for his tall frame and awkward, but without it he found the pain in his leg and chest excruciating. There was one night where he had tried to cajole the Junior Organic Mechanic into giving him some of those lovely hospital pain meds, but to no avail.

It was nice being in a cleaner space and feeling better, but it was eventually frustrating not being able to leave the room due to his limited mobility. Capable had brought him a few books to pass the time when she was away. Unlike many War Boys he _could_ read, thanks to a great mentor as a War Pup. However, with frequent headaches, this was rarely an option. Instead, to pass the time he built cars in his mind. It was something he occasionally did when waiting through sandstorms or War Boy rallies to pass boredom. Now, he didn't just build any car in his mind. It was always the War Rig. He couldn't get away from her power. He smiled at the memory of the Fury Road. Even at those critical moments where their lives were at stake, and when his own had promised to end, driving her had been ecstasy.

It was also in this new room where he started treatments. He now had a port permanently attached to his upper arm for the next few months until treatments were finished. On his second day, as the medicine dripped slowly from a bag attached to his IV pole, he was surprised to find he was greeted by a group of visitors: the ex-wives. Apparently they had been up to see him once before but he was too disoriented to remember. Nux was thrilled to discover that Cheedo had made him some stew, which he could enjoy now that he was eating solid foods. It was actually delicious, considering their limited food options. As he sat having toxins pumped into his body to rid his own, he took in the women. It was strange seeing them all looking healthy, not filthy and terrified with their skin exposed to the desert sun. Capable was also present, and he noted with curiosity that a thick tension had filled the room ever since their arrival. Nux was desperate to know why; he had only seen these women act loving to one another, but he was nervous to ask. After twenty minutes or so of awkward small talk between the women, he watched as Toast signaled Capable to the side of the room. They stood facing each other awkwardly, before Toast began.

"Hey you know all that stuff before –"

"I know."

"It's been long enough. Can we just –"

"Yes! Toast, I'm sorry – It's just been –"

"I know, it's been rough for you. I'm sorry too."

The women embraced, and he watched with fascination as the other two wives approached Capable. They spoke too low for him to hear now, but he saw the women eventually smile and break out into nervous laughter. There was none of the same warmth between Capable and The Dag, but it was nice to feel the tension lift.

The ex-wives were fascinated by his IV and all the medical equipment in the room. While initially feeling embarrassed by the attention, soon Nux could admit to himself that it was pretty nice to have a handful of beautiful woman dote over him. Eventually he found himself relishing their flirtatious attention. At one point Toast touched his broken leg, which was held together with a splint and pins below the knee. "Does it hurt?" She asked curiously.

"A bit." He smirked.

"How about this one?" She slid her hand on his good leg and he felt himself go red, causing Toast and The Dag to burst out laughing. Capable rolled her eyes from her place near the IV stand.

Eventually all the women, including Capable, had to go down for noon rations, leaving Nux alone to his treatment. Ruin came by not long after that to remove the tube and check on his progress. Tomorrow would be the same routine. He would do one week of treatment, then three weeks of rest for the first cycle. Ruin warned him that while the week would be incredibly unpleasant, it would give him the best chance of a future.

 _Future._ Nux played with the word out loud as he touched his tender neck, which no longer held bandages but a line of spider-like stitches. It felt strange, not having his "friends" there, but it was much better being able to breathe and eat without a choking fit on occasion. He had known them for years, but he could remember clearly when they had entered his Half-Life. At first he had ignored the pull of muscle and the raised lumps, which he had assumed was just an injury from rough-housing. It wasn't until another War Boy pointed it out that it became a reality. That first day he was met by wallops on the back with a "congratulations!" Tumors were a War Boy's coming of age. While after a year of having them he had learned to love the idea of his Half-Life and passing through the gates of Valhalla, at the beginning it was different. They signaled the finite nature of his life. Even with his religious fervor at the time, something deep inside screamed for survival. At the beginning, the lumps terrified him.

As the afternoon progressed, Nux began to feel worse and worse. He thought this was going to be simple like the previous day, but soon grew exhausted and felt wave after wave of chills. Each shiver brought new pain to his previous injuries. The chest decompressions had added to the broken ribs and tore his intercostals, and those ribs that had punctured through his skin still throbbed with each small movement under the stitches. Nothing but time would heal that. He could handle the pain. Pain was a War Pup's education. Pain was a War Boy's armor that he wore as scars on his chest and face proudly. However, the nausea was another level, though.

Nux limped to the washroom to be ill for another time. Cheedo's wonderful stew was now a distant memory. Now he only retched air, and his throat felt like it had been scraped clean by scalpels. _This_ was a Half-Life, if anything. Weakness washed over him as he grasped the counter to catch his breath. He looked up at himself in the grimy mirror. He only really saw himself when looking through the rear view or side mirrors in a car... if they even had that. He could recall only seeing himself fully a few times in distorted metal sheets. Even though he wasn't that familiar with his full form, looking at himself he _knew_ this was different. His eyes were sunken in, dark as if smeared by engine oil. This, combined with the fact he had lost a significant amount of weight, made him appear even more skeletal than when he sported the war paint. He moved his hands across his bare torso and felt bones he never knew he had.

Exhausted, Nux abandoned his crutch on the floor and used a shelf to navigate awkwardly back into the main room. He held his left arm tightly against his body to protect his tender side. Pins stuck out of his leg that hurt when bumped against the wall. He hobbled back to the closest bed, dropped himself down, and shut his eyes tight.

~o~

The next day went like this too. Capable stayed by his side the entire time as the fluid dripped nausea into his veins. It was as much work trying to hide this discomfort from her, so he didn't bother. When it was time for Capable to go to rations she had initially refused, wanting to stay with him, until he insisted she leave. "No point in us both being ill," he groaned between shivers. Capable had later found him curled up on the floor near the bathroom door, his skin pale as the clay that once covered it.

The fourth day of treatment made him even sicker, but this time Capable had been called away to help with something in the V6 Room, so this time it was just Nux alone with the occasional attendant. As soon as his treatment finished and the nurse left, Nux hobbled to his soft bed. Each inch took him a minute to move. He lay down, his head swarming with night hawks. Nux slept on and off for a few hours, but the nausea didn't relent at all. Retching with broken ribs would only make him more nauseous. As he lay in fetal position, he remembered that time he and Slit had once found a crate of Joe's whisky buried under and old tire when they were scrounging for parts in the junk yard. This whisky was technically only allowed for higher raking War Boys, not rev-heads. The two and another few Boys partook in the bottles until they were dry, and it became a night where the memories formed he had yet to recall. This felt like that morning after, but so, so much worse.

The day went on like this. During one trip to move around Nux had actually passed out briefly from the pain at the edge of a bed before an attendant had to drag him back. Sleep was best, but even then the feverish waves brought pain, jolting him awake. He managed to sleep until late in the evening, but it didn't help quell the nausea. He didn't want to be sick next to his bed, even though that option had been made available for him, but he knew he wouldn't have the energy to get up. Even if he did, there was nothing left inside him, anyway.  
Nux closed his eyes yet felt his body still moving when he heard someone enter the room. Opening his eyes a sliver, he saw Capable approach. She was wearing a loose green dress, and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

He groaned.

Capable sat beside him. "Aw hun. I brought you some food that might be easier to keep down. Just some crackers."

Nux sat up slowly, but the dizzying movement brought a new wave of nausea, causing him to dry retch again, while Capable glanced away. Embarrassed, he looked at the ground with his back hunched. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Don't be." She smiled and rubbed his shoulders.

This heaving brought on a coughing fit. His ribs screamed and he gasped for breath, until gentle arms wrapped around his waist and held him still, slowing the spasms to a stop. This brought an unexpected calm, and some of that painful tension ebbed away. Exhausted and panting, Nux rested his head on Capable's shoulder and focused on her warmth around him.

After a minute, he sat up straight. "I'm okay now."

"That's good." Capable leaned over to pick up a mug sitting on the table by his bed. "I brought you some herbal tea. It might help."

"What is it?"

"Ginger. Plus some other things we have growing up there. Ruin recommended it, said it would be worth a try. It might help settle your stomach."

Nux took it from her with shaking hands and drank it slowly. While it burned his throat on the way down, the warmth and subtle spices were soothing. The crackers helped, too, and soon he felt his nausea dissipate for the first time that whole day.

"Thanks." He sighed, rubbing his eyes and face.

"Apparently it won't always be like this, you know. You'll feel better in between treatment cycles. However, Ruin says that rest is important. On that note..." Capable turned her head towards the open window, where the stars had finally appeared over the canyon. "It's getting pretty late." She stood up and grabbed her bag. "I'll leave you alone so you can get some rest."

"No..." Nux reached out to grasp her arm. "Stay. Please."

Capable looked at him hesitantly for a moment, so Nux sat back on the bed and shifted to the edge. From nowhere came a simultaneous wave of adrenaline and nerves.

"Oh. Okay... Sure."

Capable slipped off her sandals and crawled onto the right side of the bed. Nux lay back on the pillow slowly, his head dizzy again, but this time from these new and wondrous thoughts. Capable turned to the side and lay down next to him, gently resting her head on his shoulder, her hair tickling his neck. Her dress bunched slightly at her hip as she rested her knee on his own. The bed was much wider than the cots in the medical bay, but it was still a tight fit. This just meant that Capable had to squeeze that much closer to him. Carefully placing his hand against the small of her back, Nux took a long trembling, inhale. Her hair smelled like spices and satellites and rust and everything wonderful that he had the fortune to live through. As she rested her hand on his chest, he sensed his own heart race. Glancing out at the night sky, he wondered if she could feel it too.

~o~

Nux woke up the next morning feeling strangely refreshed without a hint of nausea, but was disappointed to find an empty space next to him. Sighing, Nux closed his eyes to the glaring sun that had just crept through the bars on the large windows. His mouth tasted like ginger. Nux gently rolled over and began to drift off again. However, he was quickly roused by the patter of footsteps at the door, where Capable appeared, fully dressed but out of breath. "Oh my gods, you need to see this! Are you well enough to move?"

After Nux's assurance, she grabbed his hand and helped guide him all the way from the treatment room, with Nux almost stumbling over his crutch from sleepiness. Capable slowly helped him down two flights of stairs, supporting his left side as he carefully hobbled step by step. Once down, she practically dragged him along the platform to her rock outcrop. It felt good having the wind and sun on his bare skin, and he found strength returning with each step. Capable's excitement was contagious, and he soon found himself eager with anticipation.

Nux placed his crutch down and held onto the railing, staring out at the animated crowd below. Dozens of War Boys had aggregated near the entrance, looking out into the Wasteland at something unseen from his angle.

Directly below them, Nux could make out Furiosa, who was standing on the industrial lift, in conversation with one of the commanding War Boys. Suddenly, the attention of the spectators turned towards the entrance of the Citadel, and the War Boys began hollering. The sound of an engine echoed through the Citadel, and a massive tractor trailer emerged from the east behind the butte, barreling through the entrance. In tow behind it was a massive skeleton of a machine. It was propped upright, a mangled frame of rubber and steel, but it was still recognizable.

Nux's jaw fell open. "War Rig."

He smiled broadly and threw his arm over Capable's shoulder. She reached her hand up to grasp his own, beaming.

"This." Nux gestured with a nod, pulling her close, "This is good."


	6. Chapter 6

*** Content Note:* Some references to PTSD-like symptoms.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIX: Nux.**

The base of his wooden crutch splintered against the granite as Nux swung himself forward, keeping his bad leg raised above the earth. The uneven ground made each movement precarious, nearly slipping out from under him every time. It was frustrating having a body that couldn't do what his mind wanted it to do. As he rounded a corner, the crutch caught on a raised stone, making him stumble. This jerked his bad leg, and he cursed loudly. However, he kept moving forward. Sweat beaded on his brow and his intercostals ached from the tension under his arm, but he ignored the discomfort as he focused on reaching the ruckus ahead of him.

It had been two weeks since he finished his first treatment cycle, and he was finally well enough to leave the Main Butte. The nausea had largely dissipated, plus there was no longer a ball-bearing rolling around in his head except with the occasional sudden movement. While he had been up to the greenhouse level on a few occasions, today would be his first outing back into his 'normal' life. He would finally rejoin society at evening rations, and he should be excited to see his old comrades. Instead, his heart wouldn't stop drumming and his throat felt drier than the Wasteland.

Pausing to catch his breath, Nux closed his eyes and leaned against the rough wall. A few Wretcheds passed him, but for the most part he was alone. While Capable had helped him down most of the stairs and across the wobbly bridge connecting the buttes, she had long since run ahead. She had said it would be better for him to go alone to reduce the animosity he might face for having betrayed his own kind (although she had put it more lightly). It was so the War Boys would, in her words, "accept him again".  
"She's probably right," Nux sighed aloud as he raised himself and continued down the hall. She wouldn't have left him to his own devices if she hadn't trusted his new strength. However, Capable didn't quite realize the immensity of what he was about to do. As Nux came upon the wide metal doors with portholes that marked the entrance to the Rations Hall, his legs suddenly grew weak, and he once again slowed to a stop. Capable probably would not have suspected that it would be his resolve, not his limbs, to give out first. _There's no reason I have to face them today,_ he thought, and gazed back longingly at the path back from where he came. He stood rigid for a minute or so, anguishing this decision, until groaning and pushing forward. If he didn't go to rations now, he would have to make the exhausting journey back up on his own, and this thought alone was enough of a deterrent to keep going.

By the time he reached the door, his hands were slipping with sweat on the handle of his crutch. "Traitor! You FILTH!" Slit's angry words on the Fury Road interrupted his thoughts, and Nux suddenly felt ill. He knew there were quite a handful of Boys that had survived the battle and witnesses his double crossing. It was no secret to whose side he had been on. He had broken one of a War Boy's biggest codes, and while he knew it had been the _right_ thing, how could he _possibly_ explain it to their indoctrinated minds? This made Furiosa's request ever more daunting. How would they listen to him if they couldn't accept him? Forget listening, how would he even survive? He couldn't help but think now back to those nature books he had recently browsed about four-legged creatures long gone – wolves, apes, monkeys – and how they would treat returning members of their pack. While their kin looked and smelled the same, they were just different enough to justify tearing their lonely bodies apart, muscle from bone.  
This was the risk, but it was worth it to earn their trust back...he _had_ to. He owed Furiosa too much to accept anything less from himself. _Cut it off like a snake bite. Cut it off like a snake bite,_ he repeated to himself. Maneuvering his body to the side, Nux braced his good shoulder against the door, exhaling. _This was it._

Nux shoved through the door and was welcomed into the wide, dark cavern of the Rations Hall. Located just above ground level in the Central Butte, the enclosed chamber was supported by steel beams pillaged from tractor trailers, and large enough to hold an entire convoy of them. Long rows of stone tables filled the room, which were illuminated by a few yellow car lamps dangling from each support beam. It didn't take long to spot the only red-head. She was sitting beside Max and smiling Nux's way, and when he caught her eye she tilted her head towards the War Boy tables. Nux also caught sight of Furiosa at another table with the new group of military elite, including some from the Bullet Farm. Furiosa's presence soothed some of his nerves; maybe the wolves wouldn't be able to tear him to pieces just yet.

As Nux glanced around the chamber, the one he had visited every day of his living memory, he was taken aback by how different it felt. It had the same scent of toil and protein wafting through the air, and there were the endless rows of grease-stained tables, benches, and pale bodies. The room still buzzed with hundreds of voices that echoed against the ceiling of the cavern, where the occasional flutter of bats could be seen. There were more Wretcheds now, as they were now allowed to eat alongside the others, rather than wait on the War Pups for the last pickings. But that wasn't it. This place had barely changed, so it must have been him.

Sighting a possible spot on the end of one of the long tables full of War Boys, Nux took a deep breath. Each step towards the rowdy group filled him with a new wave of dread. The sensation of eyes on him grew stronger, and he wanted to swat their gazes away like flies. His temples throbbed. Why did he have to bring this damn obvious crutch?  
He dropped himself down on the end of the bench, shrinking his tall form as best he could, but the stares continued. He glanced up and locked eyes with a stern looking War Boy whose face Nux knew but whose name he could not recall. Nux nodded, but the War Boy did not return the gesture. Quickly averting his gaze, Nux soon spotted some of his old comrades lost in conversation down the row: Vein, Ruck, and Kane. It was quite surprising seeing them, as he had been certain at least one of them had been lost on the Fury Road. As he glanced around, he noticed another familiar face a few seats down. This man's face lit up when he caught Nux's eye.

"Oy, Nux!" The War Boy climbed out of his bench and plunked himself down across from Nux, next to the stern man. He reached across the table to grip Nux's hand and shook it roughly before eying him over. "Shiiiiit. You're looking like you're in need of a good tune up."

Auroch was quite a bit older than him, not a rev-head but a black-thumb. He was taller, with a wide face and an ugly scar running down his bicep from when a jack had given out and dropped the car on him. He was a rare case in that he had no signs of cancer friends, nor was he one to engage in the testosterone-filled squabbles typical to War Boys that often ended in bruised ribs or a missing tooth. Auroch was the type who was just happy eating rations, fixing cars, and enjoying forbidden moonshine that he always somehow managed to procure. His nonchalance always made Nux suspect he was a bit above the rest. It was also why Nux admired him immensely.

Auroch leaned in, smirking. "So is what they're saying true? I heard you pissed everyone right off? Hijacked the War Rig!"

Nux nodded.

Auroch let out a belly cackle, and reached over to slap Nux on the bare shoulder.

"Course you did! You were always a trouble, you were. I remember when you were just a Pup and you took that Ural bike for a joy ride, just 'cause that clammy old Imperator made you clean it! I can still see that bastard trying to run you down, and his sweaty mug! Ha!"

"Forgot about that." Nux grinned.

"Gods, everyone's been talking about you, placing bets on what convinced you to switch sides on that Rig!" Auroch leaned in. "So how was riding that beauty? I can't believe you got to do that! Lucky bugger."

Nux felt his body relax, and grinned widely. "Glorious."

As Nux chatted and even laughed with his old friend, his anxiety gradually lifted. There were still the stares from the Boys that passed by, and even though no one else decided to engage with him, it didn't matter. The relief he felt made all that other stuff moot.  
As Auroch recounted how the place had been in disarray the first few days after Joe's downfall, and how it was a perfect distraction to pillage Joe's booze stash, some of the Wretcheds working as staff brought around the food. Today's meal was sludge with a wide scoop of mash on bent aluminum plates. Suddenly Nux longed for Cheedo's stew, and felt spoiled by the thought. Along with the new softness of his life alongside Capable, he was learning of flavors both in taste and touch that he couldn't have imagined. He didn't want to go back to _this_. However, he was surprised to find the rations a bit more flavorful and in greater portions than before. There was also less milk (thank gods) now that the Milk Mothers were voluntary-based only.

Auroch was chewing on a small bone that he had the fortune to find in his food. Nux got a few solid pieces of potatoes, but that was the best of it.

"So Slit's gone to dine with the Greats, so they say."

Nux fiddled with his spoon. "Yeah..."

"Sorry mate, that's rough," Auroch crunched through to the marrow, "I know you guys were close."

Nux looked up and stared at Auroch, taken aback. "Thank...thanks." Never in his life had he ever heard a grievance for a War Boy lost to death. Maybe Auroch never really bought into Valhalla like the rest of them, and could finally speak his mind...or maybe Nux wasn't the only thing that had changed.

While Capable and most of the others left at the end of the meal, a few stragglers approached Nux's table, curious about his journey across the Wasteland and into the heavens of the medical wing. There were only questions about the War Rig, canyons, broken bones, and battles, and he never once heard the word _traitor_. Even better, no one asked if he was well enough to ride yet. Nux soon found himself settling in the old, gritty swing of the War Boy ways. Maybe this wouldn't be so tough.

~o~

The journey back up to the Main Butte wasn't half as bad now that the weight of the afternoon was off his shoulders. Plus the belly full of "food" didn't hurt. Nux almost hopped up the steps with this new, untapped energy. Even if he hadn't yet been the ambassador to turn the minds of dissenters like Furiosa hoped, having Auroch around would sure help make the transition easier. Maybe tomorrow he would try to talk to Vein and Ruck...or maybe even check out progress on the War Rig! He reached the medical wing landing and began to make for the treatment room that had become his home, but decided instead to seek out Capable and tell her about it all. Feeling energized, he spun on his crutch and headed for the lift.

Once on the greenhouse level, he turned to the right in the opposite direction of the Vault and towards her room, past more hanging gardens and the water treatment pipes. The door was ajar, so he pushed through it and peered into her small, south-facing room. The evening sun cast ribbons of light on the mattress that rested on a raised granite platform. Capable was nowhere to be seen, but he could hear her chatting to someone. She must be in Toast's room, which could be accessed by the hot spring bathroom between the two rooms. Nux entered the chamber. "Hey, so you won't guess–" Nux was interrupted by the sound of rushing water, but that wasn't what made him stop in his tracks.

Capable was standing in the hot spring room, her back to him. Her skin was completely bare except for a thin, wet linen that she was in the process of tying around her waist. He watched her raise her toned arms, which in turn lifted the sides of her breasts, and saw her tease her fingers through wet hair. Capable began to braid her wavy locks, and kept her gaze ahead into in a steamy mirror – O gods, the mirror...

Nux's legs had turned to cement. He quickly shut his eyes tight, and when he was finally able to move, spun around and made for the door as swiftly and quietly as his sore body could manage.

 _Shit shit shit!_ _Good job, Nux,_ he growled at himself as he limped down the hallway. Part of him chastised himself for not closing his eyes fast enough...and part for closing them too soon. What was this? He felt wobbly, and not just from his broken body.

 _Did she see him?_

He clamoured back onto the lift, and tried to avoid eye contact as the War Pups' stares bore into him, evidently curious on why he had come back so fast. By the time he reached the treatment room, flush with his blood running through his face and neck, Nux was beyond exhausted. The Rations Hall and this adventure up and down the butte had completely wiped him out. Both humiliated and frustratingly happy, he flopped onto his bed, groaning from exhaustion and exhilarating thoughts.

~o~

Nux woke early, and he was welcomed to the new day with a wave of nausea and throbbing in every broken part of him. His lower leg felt oddly hot, and he had an odd feverish sensation again. Fortunately Ruin was around to check in on him. While the missing muscle to the side of Nux's calf was slowly healing, she suspected that he might still have a bit of an infection, so promptly began him on a new round of antibiotics. The drugs didn't sit well with him either, so it promised to be another day of discomfort, stuck in the treatment room. It was clear that he had pushed himself too hard the evening before. However, this was just a minor setback, and he felt confident that he could only get stronger from here.

After washing up, Nux limped back into the treatment room and glanced at the empty bed where he had woken up, alone. Now that he thought about it, he had fallen asleep so fast last night, he couldn't be sure if Capable had joined him. She had mentioned the day before that she was supposed to meet with Furiosa and the others from their Rig Family, so hopefully that was where she was now. However, as the morning progressed, Nux's thoughts were invaded by endless questions. She always stayed the night. So why hadn't he seen her? Could it possibly be related to yesterday? To keep his mind off these thoughts, Nux decided to get back to fixing a carburetor that Capable had brought him. He soon found this helped keep his heart from racing, but it didn't prevent him from mulling over the sequence of awkward events that led to walking in on her. It began to drive him crazy not knowing whether she had seen him there. _Maybe she had spotted him, and now she was furious?_ All the pleasantries of seeing that beautiful form were slowly replaced by feelings of regret.  
His pale hands were soon slick black, and he was trying to get a stubborn adjustment screw loose when he was startled by the door bursting open. Capable stormed into the room, furious and seething. "I can't believe it!"

She marched towards him and kicked an empty box across the floor. Nux held his breath. _This was it._ He watched, his blackened hands frozen, ready for the onslaught. "I'm sorry," he began, "I didn't mean...It was an accidi–"

"How could she do this to me?!" Capable fumed, throwing her bag on the bed.

 _She? Oh. Ok._ Nux let himself exhale. He watched her, perplexed. "What's wrong?" He wiped his hands on a rag and put his project on the windowsill.

She paced back and forth in front of Nux, gesturing wildly. "Of course! What else would I expect? She's had it out for me ever since we got home."

Nux scrunched his brow. "Who?"

"Furiosa!" she growled.

"Why? What happened?"

"She's fucked everything up for me! She went and delegated some new tasks for us today. She KNOWS I'm good with motorcycles, yet who do you think she put on the V6 room?" She looked at Nux, but he just shook his head, wide-eyed. _Was he supposed to answer?_ "The Dag! The fucking Dag! What does SHE know about engines? She was raised on a tannery, for cross-sake! Even Toast gets to help the Milk Mothers. At least Toast knows something about that. Furiosa KNOWS I hate the Vault."

Eventually she slumped into the nearest chair. After a few moments, some of the tension left her face and she relaxed. Capable caught Nux's perplexed expression, and shook herself. "Sorry. I don't mean to drop it all on you. I'm just so frustrated with Furiosa! Who put _her_ in charge?"

"Us?"

"Oh. Right. Well...she's just doing this to spite me!"

Nux shook his head. "I'm sure she's not...Wait, why the Vault?"

"She wants me to search for salvageable material in the supply rooms. You know, like the one in the Vault that was always locked up to us. I already spent hours sorting through the Vault, and that room has ten times more stuff! UGH! This is War Pup work! ...Oh. Sorry."

Nux ignored the off-taste comment, and shrugged. "Maybe she thinks you'll do a good job?"

"Or MAYBE she thinks it's the best place to get rid of me. She must despise me."

"She freed you. Definitely doesn't think that."

"Fine. It's just... it makes me feel so worthless. I had more experience with vehicles before being a breeder than any of them, but The Dag gets to do something amazing like that? What the hell! Everyone else gets to be leaders and build this this damn city, they get to BE something, and what do I get to be? A cleaning lady!"

"That's still important."

"Ughhh!" Capable groaned and kicked the cot, "Nux, can't you just agree with me?"

"Why?"

"Because...because when we are what we are, it's what the guy is _supposed_ to do!"

He stared blankly at her. _THE guy? What does she mean? What we are? ...What are we?_ She stared at him, her lips pursed with impatience, so he sputtered, "Ok...I-I agree with you."

"Urgh! No you don't, you're just saying that now!"

Nux's head spun with Capable's conflicting messages. He opened his mouth to speak a half-truth, but decided against it. Instead he watched her, silent, as her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she placed her face in her hands. "Godammit, why do you have to be right? I just...I just can't go back there. It was awful, Nux! It made me feel so ill."

Nux opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. He ached seeing her like this, and wanted to take away her anguish by telling her that she was ANYTHING but worthless, that she had already done an amazing thing by saving him...but he couldn't find the courage to form such delicate words. Instead just frowned and nodded.

Capable continued. "The worst part was when she told me I had to do this, and I couldn't even say anything back. She just gave me these orders, and I just stared at her like some stupid submissive wife again. I'm tired of her treating me like this!" she cried, her voice wavering. Capable wrung her hands in her lap, trying to hold back tears. "And of course I have all these things lined up in my mind to say, to tell her once and for all how angry she's been making me, but as soon as I get a chance, I completely freeze up and can't get even one word out. It's pathetic."

Capable looked miserable, and while Nux yearned to go over and hold her, he resisted. He remembered how it had played out the other day. He had come up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, but with his touch she had jumped and spun out of his reach, a look of sheer terror in her eyes. Her reaction caught him off-guard, and he had felt horrible for it, although Capable had been very understanding. He had learned that it was best to let her initiate.

The two sat across from each other in silence for what felt to Nux like years. Then something occurred to him. "Well...What if I came with you?"

Capable looked up from her slumped posture. "Really?" she raised an eyebrow, "You'd do that?"

He shrugged. "Why not?"

"It'd be really boring. There's no vehicles. Just a bunch of junk. You'd hate it."

"No, I wouldn't! Plus it would beat being here." This time Nux was actually being honest. This place was wearing on him. There were only so many times he could build a car in his mind before it felt like taunting himself. He would also enjoy the change of scenery, and while he didn't want to admit, it also meant that he would get to avoid the other War Boy's and their stares in case Auroch wasn't around.

Capable's expression softened. "Are you... sure?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Nux...You're the best."

He grinned wide. They chatted about it, and it was clear that Capable's spirits had lifted. Nux felt his body grow warm, not from the fever, but for having been the one to brighten her mood.

"Okay, maybe it won't be bad. Thanks Nux!" Capable got up and walked over to kiss him on the cheek. "Alright, time for food. You up for coming down?"

Once the flutter had settled in his chest, Nux's vigorously shook his head. "No, it's okay!" He lifted a container of hospital food that Ruin had brought him. The carburetor was next to the food, so he picked it up and began fiddling absentmindedly again with the adjustment screw.

"Oh, alright, maybe tomorrow. I'll see you this afternoon then," Capable smiled as she made her way out of the room. "Oh, and Nux?" Capable stopped at the door and turned, her loose hair flipping over her shoulder.

"Yeah?" Nux glanced up.

"You know it's just a female body. Nothing to be shy about." Capable smirked, before disappearing down the hall. Nux went crimson and he accidentally jerked the screw, popping it loose. It bounced twice, and rolled to a stop on the tiled floor.

~o~

Nux awoke, feeling loads better from the day before. His leg was hurting less, and his nausea and stomach pains had largely dissipated. He looked down at the sleeping girl resting on his arm, her lips slightly parted. Her chest rose with each gentle breath. This had been the routine for weeks now, but for Nux it was still just as exciting as that first night. It was still hard to believe this was real _._ He watched Capable, his blood racing, and took in every contour of her face, every freckle, every strand of hair that grazed her neck.

The air around them smelled sweet of the wonderful, mysterious lotions that she lathed through her wet locks. Nux leaned his head closer, breathing in the heavenly scent in hopes of welding it to memory forever. He was glad she was resting more, not just because it meant they could stay like this longer, but because of their rough night. She had woken him up with a start in early morning hours, trembling and hyperventilating. With a shaking voice, Capable explained how she had dreamt that they were sorting through the storage rooms when the Vault door slammed shut and Joe's laughter reverberated through the walls. Her sobs woke the other patients and Nux could hear their bitter groans as he held her tight, but she was inconsolable up until he promised her, in his groggy state, that the Vault door would be removed the next day. With this assurance she calmed and drifted off again.

A few hours later Nux was the one to startle awake; a sudden fever had come over him and his shivers twisted his broken ribs, making breathing difficult. Capable managed to keep the fever at bay with her soothing words and cool, wet cloths. To an outsider, they must have seemed a strange pair with their frequent awakenings mixed with reassurances. Nux, troubled by pain and fevers, and Capable, haunted by jaws and hollow laughter. These were their nights. They weren't restful, but they were still filled with comfort.

It was a half hour later of enjoying her warmth against him when Capable finally stirred, looking refreshed. She smiled up at him and stretched her arms, yawning. Gods, how he wanted to kiss her, but he wouldn't. He couldn't. There had been the occasional peck on his cheek and that one chaste kiss on his lips, but that was as far as things went. A part of Nux was happy with that, considering the precarious state of his health...and his nerves. However, another part of him longed to go further, and felt guilty for it, knowing full well that Capable had enough recent trauma to deal with before she would be ready – if ever – for anything more.

However, he could wait, since he knew they were still moving forward in their own way. Even yesterday there was that new development. _What had she said? 'What we are'._ But what _were_ they? He knew the Old World liked to quantify human interactions, as if there were cut-offs that moved two people from one stage to the next. Capable had nearly two decades of a life before the Citadel, so maybe this way of thinking made more sense to her. However, to have stages, you needed a guarantee of time, which was not something a War Boy had. He heard the Old World people would plan months, years, or even _decades_ in time. That was unfathomable. War Boys lived in weeks and days. In reality, there was no way to quantify him and Capable. To Nux, it was simply a continuum of wonderful color that grew more vibrant from one touch to the next.

~o~

Nux was feeling rejuvenated and excited with anticipation as he and Capable made their way along the greenhouse path, side by side. As the round door of the Vault grew closer, his heart sped up, eager to finally see inside the place that had been Capable's 'home' for so many years. She didn't talk about it very much, but Nux was certain this would be an opportunity – although a voyeuristic one – to learn more about her. While he would never admit it to her, he wanted to learn everything. _Well, almost everything,_ he corrected himself, as his thoughts went back to her nightmare _._

They came within twenty feet of the door when Capable suddenly stopped cold. "Nope, I can't do this. Nuh-uh." She spun around and began to head back.

"What?"

"I'm not going in there if the door's still on it. We'll come back when we can find someone to take it off."

Eyeing the massive steel door melded into granite, it became very clear to Nux that his sleepy promise may have been a bit steep. "Okay...but I don't think it's gonna to come off."

"But you promised! You said we would take it down."

"Look at it! That door's not going anywhere. But we'll be fine, it won't close. No one's around."

"What about _them?_ " Capable gestured at the gardener Wretcheds and a War Boy tending to the hanging vegetables at the end of the hall.

"What about them?"

"What if they decided to shut it on us?" Capable whimpered.

"Why in the Wasteland would they do that?" Nux laughed, but stifled it when he saw Capable's shoulders hunch.

"I dunno. Maybe they could still be loyal to Joe."

Over the next few minutes, no matter how much Nux tried coaxing her inside, Capable would not move an inch closer. Her stubbornness soon began to fray Nux's nerves, and his tone grew increasingly sharp. However, looking down at her, with her arms held protectively against her chest and her lips tight in a frown, he recalled their rough night. He remembered how she could barely speak Joe's name when describing his terrifying laugh, and it became clear why she remained so steadfast. Glancing ahead at the dark tunnel, Nux was reminded of the terrifying stories of crevices in the canyon that would swallow you whole. Falling broken and bruised, forgotten from history forever. His spine prickled, and the immensity of what he was asking of her suddenly hit him. This brought with it a wave of guilt, but also sparked a new idea.  
It took some cajoling of the greenhouse staff and a bit of a compromise on Capable's part, but Nux was able to convince them to move a half dozen heavy water barrels in front of the door to keep it from closing. Satisfied, Capable nodded and led the way, allowing Nux to finally breathe as he stepped into her old world.

~o~

Nux couldn't say how he pictured the Vault, as he hadn't given it much thought until he had actually met the wives. He had heard stories that varied from it being a lightless prison to a penthouse of luxury. Glancing up at the high windows, it was clear that this was somewhere in between. The room was lovely enough for a Citadel space – bright, airy, and spacious – and there was a wondrous array of books and artifacts and that almost made it look like a home. However, being acutely aware of this room's history and violence, the pleasantness was clearly a façade. Everything, from the books to the beds, looked sour; even the air tasted slightly curdled.

Once Capable felt comfortable, they decided to begin with the largest storage room, which was piled ceiling high with junk from the Old World. Capable and the ex-wives hadn't considered scavenging this room when they were here weeks earlier, as it had always been padlocked until some wire-cutters had changed that this morning. While the clouds took away the afternoon heat, inventorying Joe's junk was still exhausting work. For Capable, at least. Unable to do anything strenuous with his limited mobility, Nux was mainly there to keep her company as she clamored through the first of the large rooms.  
While Capable dug through the junk, groaning about the sheer scale of the task and venting her desire to be in the engine room, Nux watched on, enthralled by the assortment of devices that accumulated around him. He had only known a world of metal and oil, and with this new and softer world of stationary machines – sewing materials, carpentry, jig saws, metal work – he was enraptured.

It was well into the afternoon when the sun finally appeared from behind some clouds, its rays dissected on the floor by the bars of the glass dome. Capable's vocal frustrations gradually subsided as they got into a routine. The day had already proved productive. They had managed to find more medicine, some guns parts and ammunition, and a few gardening tools. They had also hit Joe's payload of canned food and equipment raided from military bases, all labeled with the initials ADF. Nux was sitting on the floor against the wall with his bad leg outstretched, sorting through toolboxes and dividing the contents into 'broken' and 'useful' piles. The busywork was relaxing, almost meditative. Capable was in the storage room behind a pile of dusty furniture, beyond access to Nux, when she suddenly let out an excited shout. She crawled out of a back room carrying a large, polished wooden box with metal clasps. After dusting it off, she placed it in the middle of the floor in front of Nux. The box was dark rosewood, with a small metal crank on the side. It opened lengthwise, revealing a bed of soft fabric like nothing Nux had ever seen or touched before. Capable called it velvet. A delicate metal arm sat next to a wide black disk in the center. Capable hopped back to the storage room and returned with a strange, beige object that was shaped like a funnel, which she attached to the box.

"It's a Record Play!" She gasped, excited. "We had this for years here in the Vault, but Joe had taken it away as punishment a long time ago when we held a hunger strike." Nux watched her curiously as she gazed at the box, her eyes dancing. Capable dropped herself down on the other side of the box while Nux admired the incredible woodwork. There was a drawer in the bottom section of the box, and from it she pulled out a series of wide, flat envelopes containing vinyl records, explaining to Nux how each one was a unique package of music. Nux was enraptured as she read out their titles and talked in detail about each one. She said words like "jazz", and "bluegrass" and "reggae", and Nux nodded each time, even though these strange terms were nonsense to him. Nux found it interesting that she didn't really describe what each record sounded like, but rather explained how each made her feel.

"This one," she held up a record to Nux with the name _Leslie Gore_ , "was quite popular here." Nux mouthed the title, " _You Don't Own Me._ "

Capable spent a long time sifting through the many envelopes from the drawer, until she stopped on a particular one that bore a man's name but had picture of a woman. Satisfied with her choice, Capable pulled out the vinyl disk and placed it on the circular surface of the box, saying, "I learned how to do this from Splendid." Nux detected a slight tremor in her voice with that name. As Capable turned the crank and fussed with the knobs, Nux shifted his body a few inches back, afraid his rough presence might damage something so delicate. He stared with hitched breath as Capable gently placed the needle onto the spinning disk. They sat back and watched the needle wobble over the slightly distorted record. Scratching noises preceded the echoing sound of long dead instruments. The world suddenly felt like paper. Nux had heard of songs, but never anything like this. His familiarity was limited to Doof's guitar riffs and war chants. This lingering wave of mellow piano and muted brass was a world above all that. The female singer's smoky voice resonated throughout the Vault and the crackle of dust darted up the back of Nux's spine.

 _..._

 _Oh, every time it rains, it rains_

 _Pennies from heaven_

 _Don't you know each cloud contains_

 _Pennies from heaven_

 _..._

Nux swallowed. He felt the vibrations go deep into his body, exploring his very bones.

 _..._

 _So when you hear it thunder  
_

 _Don't run under a tree  
_

 _There'll be pennies from heaven  
_

 _For you and me..._

...

"Tree..." Nux played with the word on his tongue, then looked across to Capable, who was lost in the Record Play's spin. They sat for a moment in the scratchy silence between songs, before Nux finally spoke. "What's heaven?"

"Huh?" Capable glanced up at him, "Like Valhalla, I think."

"Okay." Nux paused. "And pennies?"

She shook her head. "Not sure."

"Do you think they're some kind of animal?"

"Falling from the sky? I don't think so... Maybe they're something to do with stars."

"Star shine. Or dust. Yeah...Or maybe it's whatever you want it to be. Food." Nux lay down on his back and looked up past the clouds, knowing the stars were hidden out there somewhere behind the daylight. "Pennies. I dunno why, but I like 'em."

Capable nodded.

Nux then propped himself on his elbows and looked across at her, curiously. "Do you think things really fell from the sky like that, all the time?"

"I think so."

"Do you think it all came pouring down at once, or it took a while? Days?"

"Stop! You're making me thirsty." Capable giggled, then paused. The melody continued to wash through the room. Her eyes were glassy, lost in the flow of the music. "Nux...Have you ever felt rain?"

He shook his foggy head. "I don't think so... Just a few drops. I remember a big storm once, a few years ago. But we weren't allowed outside. Immortan said it would get us addicted."

Capable gasped, "I remember that one!" Then she sighed, frowning, "Yeah, I didn't get to feel it either."

They both sat in silence for a moment, reminiscing on their shared lost opportunity.

Nux looked up. "What do you think it tastes like?"

"What tastes like?"

"Rain!"

"Uh, water, obviously," She replied, rolling her eyes.

Nux shook his head, "I know but I mean..." Biting his lip, he searched for the right words. He felt light headed, his throat numb. The music pulled his mind into a strange haze. "The one thing I remember was that when it rained, the air smelled different. I thought maybe it tastes different too."

"Yeah...yeah! I remember that too! Who knows, maybe water from the earth is different than water from the sky."

He nodded, and then went back to the music. Nux studied Capable from under his heavy lashes while they listened on. It was a curious sight. She sat with her knees tucked to her chest and chin resting on an arm, her eyes lost in a dream state. She was a world away, but her lips traced the words.

They listened until the tiny needle moved off the board and scratched static...and then they moved the needle back and played it again.

~o~

The two were making their way out of the Vault down the hallway, ready to retire after such an exhausting day, when Capable hooked her forearm under Nux's free arm. Nux supressed a grin and hopped along in his swinging gait to the rhythm of those melodies still faint in his mind.

"So...How do you feel about moving up here?" Capable queried, breaking their comfortable silence.

The words didn't quite register, and Nux just stared down the hallway towards the lift. "Into the Vault?"

"No, dummy, with me. In my room."

"Oh! Oh." He knew her room well enough now, having spent part of the day in there moving things from the Vault. He could picture it now. _One bed._ Nux swallowed.

"I asked Ruin already, and she said we can even do your next treatment cycle up here in a few days. That way you can have more privacy if you feel sick, too. She said you can probably even move up tomorrow. That is, if you want to."

Nux didn't reply, just focused on each step.

"I mean, you're here all the time now..." Capable's speech grew rushed, clumsy, "Plus we'll be doing all the work up here, we're tired, there's food around the greenhouse... No point coming up and down all the time."

"Oh." Nux repeated, keeping kept his eyes fixed on the door to the lift ahead of them, his head swimming with thoughts. Part of him wanted to run back to the group bunks this moment, back with the staring War Boys.

They walked in silence, and Nux sensed Capable's disappointment, but he couldn't help that. Right now he was overwhelmed with anxiety as he tried to make sense of it all. While the idea of staying next to her again _every night_ was wonderful, his old mental hierarchy was still engrained, and the thought of breaking another important Code made something scream in his brain that this was wrong, sacrilege. The greenhouse and above was _only_ for the god and his harem. However, he learned in the last month that even gods can fall.

"I dunno...I mean, I'd like to, but...don't you think I should be with the War Boys in the bunks?" Nux hated the words as soon as they left his mouth. He had a sudden terrifying realization that with those few words he may have given up his last chance to ever lay close to her again. _What on earth are you doing?_ "And you did say I need to get back to old habits with the other Boys for them to trust me again." _Stop talking, you idiot!_

Capable turned to him as the metal fence of the lift slid closed with a screech of iron. "Nux, don't be silly. You're way too sick to stay in the bunks, plus the garden is only a lift up from the medical wing. Those bunks are all the way in the Western Butte, you'll exhaust yourself trying to get back for the next treatment."

Nux nodded at her points, relieved she had resisted his suggestion, but he also had a strange inkling that there were other reasons too. Finally, he pushed away the voices from his upbringing and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, okay, I'd like that."

"Yay!" She leapt up and hugged him. "It's going to be fun! I promise. We can get you all set up tomorrow."

"Yeah. Tomorrow."

It was hard to believe this was actually going to happen. Sharing a room with Joe's ex-breeder, living a heaven above his old comrades. He wondered if it would make them jealous. Or angry? And she wasn't just any breeder, but the one who had somehow managed in a few weeks to commandeer every single one of his thoughts, thoughts that had once been solely devoted to machines and dying. The one who made his body feel feverish and wonderful with even with the slightest touch. The one who for some reason wanted to waste her time with a fated rev-head. Each thought ran into the other, so Nux pushed them all away and instead focused on scenery outside through the lift. He let himself soak in the fear and excitement that was pulsing through him. The world raced by, and he caught glimpses of evening approaching over the red canyon in the distance. _Our canyon._ They stepped off the lift and walked down the hall together. Tomorrow was terrifying, but tomorrow was promise. Promise of rain, thunder, and pennies, of more warmth pressed against his shoulder, of new melodies on vinyl records yet heard. While those records had long since been stored away, as they made their way toward the treatment room for what would hopefully be his last night there, the music in Nux's head had yet to stop playing.


	7. Chapter 7

*** Content Note:* Some references to the ex-wives' history of confinement and PTSD-like symptoms.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVEN: Capable.**

 _Freedom._

Capable played with the precious word on her tongue as she watched wisps of clouds drift across the azure sky. Even the sound of the word itself had the delicate softness of an exhale… so she did just that. _Sigh_.

"Had enough yet? You're gonna get burned," an airy voice wafted from next to her.

Capable rolled onto her stomach and rested her head on her satchel. "Mm," she breathed, "I don't care. It feels too lovely." She closed her eyes, and a figment of the sun could still be seen under her eyelids, with tiny spots dancing around it. As she lay prone on the warm steel, the sun's heat dug into her triceps and back. Every few minutes the drill of a jackhammer would sent vibrations up her stomach to her ribs.

She had come down to the yard after working all day in the Vault, wanting to see if she could help out with something less domestic. A surprisingly cool westerly breeze had been blowing through the Citadel since morning. It spun funnels of cool dust around Capable's calves when she had spotted Toast.

"What in the Wasteland are you doing?" Capable had laughed, gawking at Toast on top of a dilapidated, grey prison bus.

"Nothing, just lying in the sun," Toast had replied, half asleep.

Capable gaped. "You look ridiculous!" She couldn't understand why anyone would do something like this and intentionally dehydrate. "What's the point?"

"No reason."

"Aren't you hot?" Capable tilted her head.

"Sweltering."

"Then…why?"

"Because I can," Toast lifted a shoulder.

With those three words, Capable understood fully. Within moments, she had joined Toast in the silliness on the top of the bus.

~o~

It was unclear how long she had been lying out here. Capable cracked her eyes open, glancing past Toast to the sky between the Buttes. Up there were no bars, just endless heavens. In spite of her early frustration of not feeling useful to the Citadel, the last few days she was feeling surprisingly good. Freedom had been seeping into her life each day, and it wasn't until now, under the glow of the sun, that her heart finally felt full. She had sensed the first hints when Nux woke and she discovered this ability to breathe again. It surprised her how it hadn't hit her immediately with a rush of ecstasy after their escape, but rather came in little shocks. Yesterday, as she walked through the tunnel out of the Vault, she turned and did a double take. _I can leave!_ However, Capable was careful not to let it all in at once, lest get drunk on its pleasure and get numbed by it. Instead, she took tiny sips, savouring each moment…like now, with the salty breeze tickling her bare skin.

It was nice spending more time with the girls, since Nux had been too ill to accompany her in the Vault the last few days. Not that there could be an upside to Nux's suffering, but not having him there, she had to admit, had actually been a good thing. He was somewhat of a – _how to put it lightly_ – a distraction. Every novel device from the Old World fascinated him. With each new discovery, he would infect Capable with his contagious wonder. The other day, after finding Miss Giddy's telescope, the two had mulled over star charts for hours while the rest of the room remained untouched.

Cheedo sat below her now on the rusted hood of the bus, reading a book that had strange photos of intricate objects. Capable crawled over to the edge of the roof and peered over Cheedo's shoulder. "What're you reading?"

"Cookbook."

"Sounds...fascinating."

"Isn't that torture?" groaned Toast's muffled voice, who had draped a scarf over her face.

"Not really. I'm learning."

"What's the heck's _that_?" Capable reached down and pointed to a small photo of a terraced white tower.

"Food," Cheedo mumbled absently.

"That's not food! That's plastic…What kind of food?"

"Cake…and there are pastries, too!" Cheedo chirped.

"Huh." Capable wouldn't have called that _food_. She flopped back down on her stomach and took in the fascinating sight around them. They weren't the only ones taking an afternoon off. While some War Boys worked on assorted vehicles, most Boys and Wretcheds were lying about in the shade of the massive monoliths, enjoying the cool weather perfect for a siesta.

 _I can go anywhere, walk anywhere. I can say NO and not be hurt._

Capable's entire body felt light as she thought about every new thing she would seek out and try. The world was literally theirs to explore. _I'm going to live a thousand lives for the one Joe tried to take from me._ A sharp gust of air tussled her hair and clothes as it spiraled eastward, taking small flecks of soot and ash with it. Tiny pieces of the past. Just like her history, which was being carried away on the breeze to get lost in the winding crevasses of the canyon. It would blow past the husk of a painful metal belt getting ground down in the sand, forgotten. She didn't even bother to bid it all goodbye. Instead, she just closed her eyes and began to quietly hum Billy's words, _"every time it rains it rains, pennies from heaven…"_

Toast heard her, and piped in a muffled, _"don't you know each cloud contains, pennies from heaven…"_

 _"You'll find your fortune fallin', all over town  
Be sure that your umbrella, is upside dowwwwn!"_

The two sang together, and then burst out laughing.

Toast pulled the scarf from her face. "Wow! I haven't heard that song in so long! I almost forgot about it."

"Nux and I found it with the Record Play in the Vault!"

" _Really?_ Are all the other records still there too?"

"I think so."

"Amazing! You have to show me later."

"Definitely."

There came a loud rattling and from the corner of Capable's sun-stung eyes, she saw a familiar shape. "Look!"

A powerful tractor choked and squealed as it tugged a trailer carrying the War Rig out of the main hanger. It was hard to believe that so much of the machine still remained. It must have been too much for the scavengers to completely debone. There may have also been some superstitions about taking parts of her, like robbing a fallen god.

"Nux keeps asking about the Rig. He wishes he could be one of the ones working on it," Capable sighed without taking her eyes off the beast. When she mentioned to Nux the other day that she had spotted it, he pried her for every single detail. While Capable was knowledgeable about cars, she couldn't really tell him exactly what lateral cross beams were bent or whether the fuel injection lines had been severed. "I know he's dying to get back to doing anything with cars, really. He's getting so fidgety."

"Why doesn't he, then?" Toast asked, her eyes locked on the Rig shuddering across the yard. It came to stop when the tired tractor stalled from the load.

"He can't move much since he's still in a lot of pain," Capable frowned, her mouth going dry with the thought.

"I'm sure Furiosa could find something for him to do."

"Yeah, maybe…" Capable flipped over onto her back and glanced upwards, where she could just make out the arch of the dome, not far from where the War Boy was (hopefully) resting. "He's on treatment though, so he's feeling pretty shit."

"Really? Still?" Toast sighed, "For how much longer?"

"Two more days."

"Brutal."

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm sure eventually he'll get a chance," Toast sat up straight. "Look at her. She's a mess. She'll need all the help she can get."

Capable's eyes returned to the Rig. It was an amazing accomplishment of the War Boys to do the salvage, but that didn't mean she wasn't in a terrible state. _Nux sure made their work cut out for them._ The vehicle was a tangled mess of iron. Only two fins remained of the radiator, and the plow was bent in half. The Sedan cabin was still there, but the massive tanker had been compressed like a tin can from the collision.

Looking on top of the crumpled tanker, Capable was disappointed to find that her and Nux's VW beetle turret had been completely severed. All that remained were a few beams and a piece of the seat. Who knew where it could be now, either scavenged or lost in the canyon. It actually made her a little sad.  
Seeing the empty shell from their first night spent next to each other on the Rig brought everything rushing back. It felt a millennia ago now, and those two days had been the longest of her life…

~o~

 _As the evening approached on the salt flats, Capable, the other wives, and the Vuvalini set up camp on the dune overlooking the dry sea. Nux was nowhere to be seen, probably still busy fixing something on the back of the tanker._

 _"We'll rest here for the night," Furiosa had told them, "No one with any sanity left will try to navigate those flats in the dark. Not even Joe."_

 _While the group settled on the dune, Capable quietly fussed in the cabin of the War Rig, searching for another oil lamp. After some struggle, she eventually found one wedged under the seat…next to one of Furiosa's guns. She glanced around, then shoved the gun back into its hiding place. Better keep that one a secret, she thought. The new guy seems reliable enough, but just in case...  
When she hopped out of the cabin into the soft sand, she saw the rest of the group had already found their places for the night. She wasn't looking forward to freezing on the ground and getting sand in her braids, and so she chastised herself for not calling shotgun on the cabin, where Max and Furiosa would be resting. Oh well. Those two needed the most sleep after all their driving, anyway. Stepping out of the cabin, a cold wind cut through the desert air. She pulled her shawl tighter over her shoulders and shivered, but this did not stop the chill from burying deep into her bones._

 _Capable glanced out across the landscape; it was nothing but an endless sea of indistinguishable dune after dune…all except for a lanky figure approaching from the east, silhouetted against the deep indigo. He marched right past her without a glance and headed for the others._

 _"Hey!" Capable called out in a hushed voice, lighting the lamp as she closed the cabin door and approached him. He stopped short and turned, the orange glow capturing a hint of surprise._

 _An idea. Capable brought the oil lamp to her face, and gestured towards the Rig. "C'mon, this will be better."_

 _Capable walked to the side of the Rig, but Nux hesitated. He looked back and forth between her and his adoptive group, clearly struggling with whether it was a good idea to resist his new leader's orders._

 _"It's alright, she won't care."_

 _After another brief moment frozen in place, Nux relented and followed Capable to the side of the War Rig. Nux crawled up between the cabin and tanker first, then leaned down and reached out his hand._

 _Capable stared at his outstretched arm and felt a rush of something long forgotten. She had not experienced chivalry in the eight plus years since before her capture...and even before that, not much. Nux probably didn't see this gesture that way; it was probably something War Boys just did for each other as a working unit on these big machines. However, after so much pain and trauma, she would take what she could get, and gladly placed her hand in his._

 _Once on the Rig, the two stood awkwardly a foot apart in the narrow space, silent. Capable glanced up, and had this odd urge. This urge to stand up and kiss him, but shook the feeling. Silly, you just met the man! Instead she said, "Umm…I thought up here might be better for sleeping than the sand," and began to climb the ladder of the tanker, adding, "plus Toast snores like a Tasmanian devil."_

 _She led the way across the top of the tanker to the VW turret. Nux trailed awkwardly behind, his body hunched. Capable crawled into the cabin and sat down, but saw that Nux was still standing there with his arms crossed against his bare chest, either from cold or uncertainty._

 _"Well?" she asked._

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Are you going to sleep here, or not?"_

 _"But I thought..." he turned his head back to the others on the hill below. They were all sitting upright and watching the stars._

 _"Forget them. This is better. Look!" Capable poked the seat. "Cushions!"_

 _Nux nodded then moved with careful, deliberate steps towards the car and crawled inside, but managed to knock his head on the frame in the process._

 _"Y'alright?" Capable asked, but he didn't reply and dropped himself down beside her._

 _He put his boots up and leaned against the right window, almost as if pushing away from her. He kept silent, his eyes locked on the group below._

 _"It's getting pretty cold." Capable adjusted her shawl and shifted over to him. He jumped as their bodies touched and briefly looked at her, before returning his numb gaze to the crowd. Capable held back a smile. It was amusing how anxious he was being now, even though she had been sleeping against him not ten hours earlier. However, that had been out of necessity on account of the cramped space. It was hard to ride with five people and not get comfortable with each other. This was more…deliberate._

 _"You okay?"_

 _"Yeah…yeah." His voice was raspy, barely a whisper. Nux looked over again and they locked eyes. He smiled sheepishly then averted his gaze._

 _Capable inched closer to his warmth, shifting until her hips were pressed into his heavy belt. She rested her head against his bare neck, and sensed his body grow tense. He smelled of toil, engine oil, and clay. It brought a rush of familiarity of working in an engine yard. Oh, how she missed that smell! After some shifting to get comfortable in the small space, her hands found their rest across his knees. She could almost feel him blushing. Capable smirked. She hadn't teased a boy in so long, she almost forgot how much fun it could be. Nux's rigid body eventually relaxed. His shoulders lowered, so Capable sunk into him further. As her hands rested on his leg, she teased the tassels of her shawl, pulling fibers out and causing the ends to bunch. Nux swallowed. He brought his left arm down to rest against her back, but kept his oil-stained hand dangling in the cold air. Was he afraid to touch her? Capable squirmed closer to give him an incentive to lower his arm, but he remained steadfast._

 _Sighing aloud, Capable reached back and placed his hand on her shoulder. His grasp was stiff at first, but soon his touch softened and she felt his warm palm glide down her shoulder and back. Nux slowly slid his hand down to her exposed waist, causing Capable to jump at the unexpected spark of bare skin against her own. He instantly pulled his hand away._

 _"Oh. Sorry," he rasped._

 _"No, it's ok. I like it."_

 _Hesitantly, he placed his hand back on her waist. He traced the path down to her hipbone and stroked her side gently, making her skin tingle. After another millennia, Nux brought his other hand down to a rest on his own thigh, closer to hers. The wind brought another chill, so Capable covered his wrist with her shawl. She then brought her hand next to his, hoping he would take the incentive. He did…Nux placed his hand on top of her own and grasped it, much like he would hold a ratchet or hammer._

 _Capable smirked. How much he had to learn! Capable let go, then gently entwined her fingers with his._

 _He swallowed again, and with her head pressed so close to him, there was no mistaking the rev of the motor in his chest. With a deep exhale, Capable reveled in the warmth brought by the blanket and Nux's body heat, but also in something else. A warmth that she had thought had faded long ago from her small, disposable life._

 _The two then glanced up at the sky together, lost in the ancient stars and Old World lights._

~o~

"Cape... _Capable!_ "

"Huh? Yeah?" Capable snapped out of her daydream.

"Where were you, girl? Did you fall asleep? I _said_ , I think I see Furiosa."

"Oh. Yeah. Right." Capable glanced over to the industrial lift under the Skull Face, where a tall woman could be seen near a convoy of vehicles that had gathered for probably another supply run. "Sorry. I was just thinking."

Capable found her own heart racing now from the memory. Nux's meekness that night had been so new to her. It was endearing, and fascinated her. She had known men in her old life, but they were all rough, hardened by the sand and grit. Nux was so different. It was refreshing to have someone not put pressure on her. Pressure was all she had known for the last eight years. It ground her down, tarnished her. Now, things would be different.

From the corner of her eye, Capable noticed a tall, pale form approaching the bus. Beetles fluttered in her gut. _He said he might come down if he was well enough!_ She turned her head, but frowned. No, that's not him. Funny, she had just seen Nux this morning. How could she be excited to see him already?

"Enjoying the view?" an attractive War Boy with dark eyes called out as he hopped onto the wheel of the bus, leaning his arms on the roof. "You lovely ladies wanna come for a ride?" He tilted his head towards a refurbished Ford Mustang. A second War Boy with one eye stood below him, smirking.

"What do you think?" Toast asked.

Capable shook her head.

"No thanks, we're good. Care to join us though?" Toast exclaimed, nodding at the expanse of space on the bus. Capable nudged Toast with her foot, but Toast ignored her. "There's lot of room!"

The Boy shrugged. "Thanks, miss, but I'm gonna have to call a dust check on that. We're on oil duty today, but come over if you change 'ur pretty mind about that ride," he winked at her and hopped off.

Toast grinned and flopped over.

"What did you say that for?" Capable hissed.

"Oh come on, it's just a bit of fun. Right Cheedo?"

A groan came from below them.

Capable's eyes darted around at the testosterone-filled men dotting the yard. "Do you want to give them the wrong idea? There's a billion of them, and five… four of us."

"What about the Wretched women?"

"Seriously? You know that's not the same." A wretched lady walked by just at that moment, her face covered in boils, and Capable grimaced.

"Hey, just because you get to play with one doesn't mean the rest of us have to be chaste widows. Sod that."

"Uh, that's not exactly true."

Toast sighed, "They're probably _all_ engine, right? All that adrenaline. Must be fun." Capable rolled her eyes at the insinuation, but Toast just stared at her and grinned. "So… How is it with a War Boy?"

"Oh gods. Please shut up," Capable placed her face in her hands.

"C'mon, tell me!"

"Um, I wouldn't know."

"What, really?" Toast asked with a puzzled look. "But he moved in with you! I thought you and Nux were all over each other. Hell, why do you think everyone stayed clear from the turret on the salt flats that night?"

Feeling her face flush, Capable wrinkled her nose. "Ugh no! What do you take me for? Is that what everyone's saying?"

"Hey what about us, miss! There are plenty more to go around!" Another Boy yelled out from the group by the Mustang, while his comrades laughed.

"See? You got them started," Capable groaned, "Remember what Furiosa said about –"

Another piped in, "We do trade-ins! Whatcha need that lame one for when you can get this?"

Capable frowned at a rude gesture that followed. _Lame?_ She took a moment to memorize the man's face. That Boy was now dead to her.

Swinging her legs over the front of the bus, Toast shrugged. "It's harmless, don't worry. They're all talk. And don't change the subject!" her voice grew soft. "Seriously? Nothing?"

"Can we not?"

"C'mon, you can tell me! What about…." Toast's eyes drifted downwards, making Capable's own widen.

"Oh my gods, Toast! You're the worst. No."

"Then what the hell are you two doing? Have you even kissed him?"

"Uh…sort of. When he was unconscious, and when he was waking up. Does that count?"

"Um, no."

"Fine, then not yet."

Crossing her legs, Toast looked at her with a worried expression. "But I thought things were going good with you two!"

"They are, it's just…everything is just…difficult in that way, you know? It's _so_ frustrating. There's just too much of...this." She flicked her hand above them and gestured towards the glass dome.

"I know, hun," Toast nodded grimly. "But Joe's dead. Just try to let the past die with him if you can. Try to have fun. You deserve it!"

Capable wrung her hands. They had all been through trauma, could Toast _really_ brush it off so easily like that? It never occurred to Capable, but maybe if she tried hard, she could too. She _wanted_ to get close to Nux. As close as humanly possible. She hated her body for the visceral reactions to touches that were beyond her comfort zone. It was like her brain and body were separate entities. She felt angry at herself for not being able to do more. There was just so much history on her skin that she needed to wash off first. However, as she watched the Rig finally disappear into the engine bay, feeling a rush again from the memory of that innocent intimacy, she thought that maybe Toast was right. _From now on, history is history_ , she promised herself, and a moment later was surprised to find herself smiling.

"Speaking of boys…There's Max! He may be a bit weird, but damn."

"Toast! Really?" Capable gasped.

"Oh c'mon. All we've had to look at for years is Joe's fuck-ugly face, his fuck-uglier heirs, and a few white specks of War Boys below. You can't blame me for looking." Toast's eyes darted around the yard. "Maybe I need to pick myself up one too."

"Seriously? Haha! I'd live to see that."

"Hey Cheedo!" Toast called down. "Anything in your cookbook about how to hook up with a War Boy?"

Huffing, Cheedo grabbed her book and stood up to glare at them. "You two seriously need to grow up," she snapped, before hopping off the truck.

"Okay, prude," Toast muttered under her breath. Capable's jaw dropped, and then the two broke down into laughter, watching Cheedo trudge back to the Main Butte. Toast turned to Capable again. "So that's good things are going well between you and Nux…but have you thought about how he's going to deal with you and Joe's…"

"Huh?"

"You know..." Toast signalled at Capable's gut.

"Oh! No, it's okay. Joe's gone now!"

Toast jumped up, knocking a shoe off the bus and into the sand. " _Really?_ Why didn't you tell me sooner? When?!"

Shrugging, Capable looked away from Toast towards the growing group of Wretcheds in the yard. "About a week ago. I just didn't really want to bring it up. It's weird."

"You should have! I was worried sick!"

Capable smiled. "Me too. I'm just glad it's over. But don't tell The Dag, she might be sad now that her kid won't have a half-brother."

"Ugh! Gross. Don't even joke," Toast blanched.

"Oh, sorry."

Capable lay back down on her stomach and felt the sun once again grace her skin, enjoying every sensation. Maybe that's also why she was feeling particularly light today. There had been a few days when she had woke feeling nauseous, and she had been absolutely convinced that she was bearing Joe's last despicable heir. It didn't occur to her at the time that it may have had more to do with Nux's perilous condition or the fact she barely ate and slept. When her moon cycle returned, she practically danced down the hall. Finally rid of that monster forever.

The sun would be disappearing behind the Western Butte in a few hours, meaning afternoon rations was approaching. She wanted to go back up to their room soon and see if Nux was up for it today. THEIR new room. The words gave her these strange new beetle flutters. A realization. Was she actually _excited_ for the future? After becoming so institutionalized, it was not something she ever thought was possible.

"Why are you smiling?" Toast poked Capable's side as she lay beside her.

"Dunno," Capable lied, nudging her back.

She basked in her thoughts, but soon a rumble of voices grew in the yard, pulling her from her rest. Capable sat up and blinked from the jarring brightness. The group of wanderers had swelled into a crowd, so now the yard was full of ragged forms. Strange. Her attention turned to the industrial lift, where she noticed a tall woman with a metal arm standing next to a man wearing a large, leather coat. "What in the Wasteland is Furiosa doing?"

Toast turned her head but kept her eyes closed. "Same as always, probably. Wearing herself out."

The crowd began to gravitate towards the lift. "No, seriously, what's going on?" Capable squinted to try to make out the commotion at the center.

Toast sat up and looked her way. "I don't know. Did the Aqua Cola stop?"

Their heads both turned to the skull in the rock face, where a small stream was still flowing into a catchment, the Wretched's source of water. "No, that's not it." Capable lifted herself up and stood on her tiptoes, trying to see past a large truck next to the lift. "Strange, the convoy's still here. I thought they would have left by now." That's when she saw them. "Look!"

Toast stood up and peered in the direction of her outstretched arm. Two groups of people were facing each other on the lift, waving their arms wildly. "Something's going down. C'mon!" Toast hopped off the truck hard, spraying sand in her wake. A few more trucks in the convoy pulled into the yard. The War Boys switched off the engines and stood on their rigs, watching the scene unfold.

Capable hobbled along the roof, muscles sore from laying on the hard surface for too long, and stared at the growing number of excited individuals around them. Something didn't feel right, so she hesitated. "I don't know…maybe we shouldn't get messed up in this."

"Bull!" Toast called, grabbing her missing shoe. "Maybe Furiosa needs help?"

"Fine…" Capable groaned, grabbing her white satchel and hopping into the dust. Toast led the way, and the two shoved through stubborn bodies towards the lift. Between shoulders of Wretcheds, Capable caught glimpses of Furiosa on the platform. Even with the increasing voices of the thickening crowd, Capable could almost feel Furiosa bellowing at the man in front of her. Capable saw another man standing by Furiosa's side, silent with a face of stone. It was the general from the Bullet Farm.

Finding more resistance, Toast reached back and grabbed Capable's hand, leading her through the crowd. "Furiosa!" Toast yelled when they reached the edge of the platform, "What's going on?!"

Their Imperator either didn't hear or didn't care. All of Furiosa's attention was directed at the terrifying man towering over her. The War Officer was a foot taller and covered entirely in tumors. He wore a heavy leather jacket adorned with medals, questionable whether or not they were his own. He stood inches from Furiosa, and Capable saw the sunlight glint through spittle as he screamed back. Capable could only make out patches of what they were saying over the boisterous crowd.

"– Like hell you will! You better get your Boys in line. NOW!" Furiosa screamed. Her face was red, veins throbbing at her temple. The Bullet Farm general said something, but it was too quiet to hear.

"It's suicide!" the man in the leather jacket snarled.

"Since when did your kind care about dying?" Furiosa pointed to the convoy of vehicles. "Get your ass back on that truck!"

"No! Fuck your convoy, and piss on Barter Town," the man in the jacket nodded his head to the convoy. Two dozen War Boys hopped off their vehicles and began walking into the crowd. They shoved Wretcheds out of the way with careless regard and approached the lift, venomous glares directed at Furiosa. Electric fear shot up Capable's spine, and she gripped the metal bar until her knuckles went white.

The Officer sneered at Furiosa with a mouth full of rotten teeth. "You better tell these Boys there is a change of plans and they have the afternoon off. Or else you'll see how they really feel!"

"Is that a _threat_?" Furiosa's words vibrated through the canyon.

Toast hopped onto the platform and moved towards Furiosa. Capable made to do the same, but as she lifted her leg up, a large man fell into her. "Hey!" she stumbled sideways into the crowd, but managed to catch her grip again on the edge of lift.

Furiosa snarled, "Your Boys want a vacation? What do you think they'll get if we can't get more fuel! This place will go to the desert! Is that what they want? A vacation free of rations? Or water?"

"Did you all hear that?" The man bellowed to the crowd. "This bitch says she'll take your rations!"

"Bullshit! I said nothing of –"

"She's going to turn off your water!"

But it was too late. Capable she sensed the change in the crowd before her mind registered what was said. In an instant, the mindless crowd roared in anger and pushed toward the platform. Capable's fingers slipped from the bar and she was knocked back into the horde.

"Hey! Stop it!" she cried out, but more and more bodies pushed forward, jostling her petite form. She tried moving backwards but it was impossible to keep her balance. A man rushed past, knocking her to the ground amidst the filth and feet. Inhaling dust, Capable tried to push herself up to stand, but more forms mowed into her. The reek of sweat and urine made Capable want to wretch. Heavy shoes crushed her heel, and she cried out as searing pain shot up her calf. Coughing, she covered her face to protect herself from further blows. Capable grasped around blindly for something to steady herself. Finally, she gripped onto a handful of oily clothes and pulled herself up. Terror spun her around in dizzying circles. _Which way back to the Butte? Where was Toast? Furiosa?_ She could no longer see the platform, just a filthy wall of bodies. Panic enveloped her. _I need to get out of here!_ Capable finally caught sight of the Main Butte. She began shoving through the Wretcheds towards it, limping, when a bony hand grabbed her left arm and yanked her back.

"Get off!" she screamed and kicked until she pulled herself away, but then felt another hand clasp her other arm. She spun around, fist at the ready, but gawked at the sight. "Max!"

His eyes burned into her. "We go. Now." He kept hold of her arm and dragged her through the crowd. Glancing, back, Capable saw dozens of bodies clamber atop the slowly raising platform. However, there was no sign of her sisters, and fear sucked the air from her lungs.

"Where's Toast and Furiosa?!" she cried through the sea of people, "Max, where's Toast?"

But he didn't respond, just pushed through body after body.

"Where is she?!"

~o~

Her hands shook as Max pulled her down the stairs of the Central Butte to an underground operations room. The cavern was empty except for a long table marked with endless knife scratches, a history of war plans. There was no natural light, only the dim glow from a few fluorescent lights.

"Wait here," Max grunted, finally releasing Capable's wrist.

"What?"

He marched back out the door and turned to her. "Keep it locked."

"What? Max! No! Why –"

But he was gone. Capable stared at the empty space in the hall, then closed and locked the heavy metal door.

Taking in the small, stale room, Capable became viscerally aware of the lack of windows. The room only had cold, grey walls. Like a prison. A sudden, suffocating anxiety flooded her chest, making her legs grow weak. She squeezed her eyes shut, but she didn't see blackness….just a long, narrow tunnel. When she opened them again, she was staring into the mouth of the Vault. Capable doubled back into the table, breathing fast, her nails digging into metal. The room pulsed, and all she could hear was the deafening beat of her own heart as it tried to break free of her chest. Breathing faster and faster, her lungs screamed yet she could not seem to get any air. Capable cried soundlessly as her legs gave out and everything turned to black.

~o~

Capable woke to find herself crumpled sideways on the floor. A sharp pain came from the side of her head, while the fluorescent lights made her eyes sting. Something small moved a few inches from her nose, but all she saw was a black blur. She blinked a few times, and finally a tiny ant came into focus. It was crawling towards her hand. When it reached her thumb, it continued up and over it her wrist, unperturbed.

Dazed, Capable sat up and looked around. A sickening realization hit her that she was still in this room, still alone. The anxiety came rushing back. Did Max forget her, or did something happen to him? Toast and Furiosa...where were they? Why did they disappear from the platform? She searched her mind fervently for new clues, but her memory was too clouded. She wanted to cry out but there was no air left in her lungs.

After a few controlled breaths, Capable wedged herself into a corner, the place where the room felt the largest. With only the silence of dead air to keep her company, Capable waited for something, anything to happen. She hugged her bag and twisted the braided strap once over, once under, again and again, until her hands chaffed. The only other movement in the room was a slow trail of ants marching across the edge of the metal table, following some enticing scent. For what could have been minutes or hours, Capable rocked the wheel of a nearby chair back and forth with her good foot and watched the ants' deliberate journey across their steel wasteland. It was the only thing keeping her mind from spinning terrifying stories of what had happened to sisters _. They had to be okay. They just had to…  
_ The silence was magnified by the dead air, so much that she could hear the thrumming in her head of her own heartbeat. One tiny ant crawled half the length of the table edge, until it stopped in a crack to investigate a crumb.

"Move, dammit!" she yelled, when she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway.

Pulling her arms tight around her knees, heart racing, Capable stared at the door with baited breath.

A knock.

"It's us," Max's familiar voice sounded from the other side.

Exhaling in relief, Capable ran to the door and flipped the deadbolt. Max walked past her, his eyes stern. Another face appeared behind him.

"Toast!"

"Oh my gods, there you are!" Toast cried and shoved past Max to rush into Capable's arms.

In her sister's embrace, Capable trembled and quietly and thanked the universe for keeping her safe. However, Toast abruptly pulled away and grasped Capable by the shoulders with angry eyes. "I turned around and you were gone! Why did you leave?! Don't scare me like that!"

"What are you talking about, I thought something happened to _you_! I got pushed into the crowd. Where did _you_ go?"

"Some prick dragged me off the lift, so Furiosa jumped after me. You wouldn't believe the –" Toast was cut short as their Imperator pushed past them into the room, her clothes in disarray and her forehead beaded with sweat. _Oh thank gods!_ Even in her disheveled state, she was a welcome sight, and Capable felt her body relax slightly. Furiosa was followed by a few higher ranking War Boys and the large, hulking military man from the Bullet Farm. Capable gaped when he stopped and turned to stand next to Furiosa. The skin in his chest and neck were implanted with dozens of small shell casings in a pattern reminiscent of Nux's engine. Capable tried to hide her distaste for his body as she stood with the others, turning her attention back to Furiosa.

Furiosa nodded at Max. "It's alright now. We're back on schedule. They should reach Barter Town by nightfall," she sighed, leaning against the edge of the table, rubbing dust and sweat from her face. She looked directly at Capable. "You okay?"

Frowning, Capable nodded.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Toast groaned.

"An embargo from Gas Town. Then that shithead set them off." Furiosa muttered through gritted teeth.

"The guy in the jacket?"

Furiosa hummed in agreement. She looked at the general. "Can you believe it? All this over pigs."

Toast glanced at Furiosa. "What? What was the problem? Why were they resisting?"

Tightening the strap on her metal arm, Furiosa sighed. "Long story. The Bullet Farm has been 99 percent on our side, but Gas Town has been a bit more difficult. They decided to embargo our asses. Unfortunately, we need gas more than we need ammunition. This is why General is here to try to do some convincing," she gestured towards the military-dressed man. The man nodded and the bullets shifted under his throat, making Capable want to wretch. "This means we need to supplement our fuel with methane from Barter Town. I know, not ideal."

"So why does that matter? Barter Town's not that far," Capable quipped.

"Not many like that place," Max responded gruffly.

Furiosa nodded. "Right. Barter Town has a tendency to enslave visitors for stupid crimes –" she glanced over at Max with a strange look, "– and set them to work underground in the pig farms that produce the methane. Some War Boys think that if you die too deep underground, you won't find your way to Valhalla."

War Boys actually afraid of something? Capable raised her eyebrows. This is something she would definitely have to ask Nux about.

"So how did you finally convince them to go?" Toast asked.

"It took some time for the Boys to put two and two together and realize that without fuel, they won't be able to ride or get high. No one ever said War Boys were good at math," Furiosa grunted. Capable glared at her for the comment as she added, "The Officer couldn't stop them after that. Although I'm sure he's going enjoy meeting the Buzzards for starting the riot, though."

The General smirked, and leaned over to whisper something to Furiosa. She nodded, and the grotesque man shook her hand before departing out the door. She turned back to Toast and Capable. "That was a big waste of an afternoon. And I saw you two back there, before all this nonsense happened. What the hell were you doing up on that bus?" she glared at them. "Actually wanting to _incite_ a mob?"

Capable balked. "We were just relaxing!"

"What in the Wasteland were you thinking? How do you think that looked?"

"What? Everyone else was resting!" Toast jumped in.

Lowering her tired head, Furiosa took a deep breath and spoke calmly, but her voice still leaked irritation. "Look…it seemed innocent, I know, but you need to understand that right now, everything you do matters. Everything you do, _they_ watch. And it doesn't help that many of them still don't see you as victims."

"But we aren't victims!" Toast snapped.

Furiosa closed her eyes. "Fine. But they _need_ to see you that way if you're going to get any sympathy. That's the only thing that will keep you all safe."

Toast and Capable exchanged a worried look, then Toast shook her head. "I don't see how that –"

Furiosa interrupted, "What they see are a few beautiful women who got to wed a god, eat the best food, and live closest to Valhalla. Then they see you lounge and act like this place is your castle after you helped destroy their god, and that can only breed envy. Don't give them something they want…or something they can trade."

A sliver of ice crawled up Capable's vertebrae.

"You are potential leverage. They know your value…so from now on, you need to keep an eye out for each other and stay out of the yard."

"What?!" Toast and Capable gaped in unison.

Capable's body went rigid and she crossed her arms tight against her chest. She didn't want to hear anything about this 'value'. Only things have value, Furiosa should know that! _We are not fucking THINGS_ …And even if there was a risk that she and the other ex-wives could become bargaining tools, she didn't care. All she wanted was to go where she wanted, when she wanted. Fuck, after eight years of horror, she had earned that privilege.

Crossing her arms, Toast glared at Furiosa. "No! That's bullshit."

Furiosa stood up and stared her down. "It has to be that way, and I don't want to hear any more of it. Do you want to be captured by some creep again? Do you think Splendid died just for you to mess up everything we fought for? Just because you wanted some _sun_?"

Rage leapt into Capable's throat and she had to swallow it to keep from lashing out. Toast grew quiet but her eyes sent daggers at Furiosa. How dare Furiosa bring Splendid into this? Splendid only wanted them to be free, and they all had to be imprisoned again in the Buttes? She opened her mouth to tell Furiosa just that, but instead clenched her jaw and dug her nails into the scars of the table.

"I'm sorry, it just has to be this way," Furiosa's voice wavered with a hint of sadness, although Capable was too annoyed to care. Rubbing her face again, Furiosa looked over to Max. "This is exactly what I said was going to happen, wasn't it? We need someone on the inside." Max nodded, and for a moment Capable felt anger towards him as well. _Why couldn't he speak up just once? He knows more than anyone the need to roam._

"This is just going to keep happening if we don't get the War Boys to see how things are better without Joe."

"But aren't those in the higher ranks with us?" Toast asked, her voice calmer. "I mean, the officer today excluded."

"Yes, mostly. They just don't have any sway with rev heads and black thumbs. Like you hear them say, _oil is thicker than blood_. They might follow the higher ranks into war, but their loyalty lies with their own engine room brotherhood," she turned to Capable, her eyes burning into her. "We desperately need someone on their level who they'll really listen to, which is why your Boy better get on convincing them soon. They're not going to follow me forever."

~o~

The group sat down and discussed strategies over the next half hour, and by the time they disbanded Capable was exhausted. The sun, the Vault, and the emotional rollercoaster had done her in. Capable limped next to Toast up the narrow stairway. Her head and ankle throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the sickening ache in her gut. Stuck in the Buttes. She pictured the worn down bus and lovely sun. She could go to the agricultural terraces on the roof, but it wouldn't be the same.

They made their way across the bridge on their way back to their rooms to get cleaned up. Rations would be starting soon, but Capable wasn't hungry. Glancing down, the evening was surprisingly calm across the Citadel. There were few signs of the earlier commotion; only a few abandoned shoes decorating the wide yard. The Aqua Cola dripped into the basin, the sunset reflecting through the glassy stream.

"This is bullshit," Toast kept repeating.

Too downtrodden to reply, all Capable could do was nod. Looking down, she started. "Shit! I forgot my bag. I'll come meet you, okay?"

She tore down the steps back to the operations room, hoping to gods that it hadn't been nicked. It didn't contain anything of much value, but a few trinkets that would be too devastating to lose. She burst into the operations room, and her heart sank to see the empty space on the chair where she had left it. Running over, she spotted a white strap under the chair. _Yes!_ Had to give it to the War Boys for not being the possessive types. Dusting off the grit, she threw the bag over her shoulder and made her way back up the steps, passing the V6 room on the main level and some bunkers. She walked passed a cavern and heard a rough voice vibrate through the hall.

"– then Nux goes and –"

Capable suddenly stopped. She crept back to the open doorway and peered inside. Two War Boys were in the room. One was sitting on a massive mining truck tire, while the other was arm deep into an exposed engine. Both of them were facing away from her, and neither seemed to notice her in the shadows.

"– little bastard gets all the fun. Who is he to get top pick of the wives?"

Her stomach leapt into her throat. She held her breath and tried to listen.

The larger Boy laughed. "Like you'd get a pick! Jus' look at 'ur ugly face."

The sound of a drill started, and they chatted for a few minutes about mechanics. The voices were muffled by the clash of metal, so Capable had to lean in closer. Finally she heard the larger one speak. "Did you hear they're even trying to give Nux a Full Life?"

"For fucksake! Really? For being a goddamn traitor?"

"Guess so. That's the punishment now of being a coward, I reckon. Immortan's probably spitting down on us! I hear the Pup even had a chance to kill the Full Metal Bitch on the Rig too, but stuffed up. Pass me that ratchet, there?"

Capable sensed anger spill through her veins. _So this is what they all think of him?_ She wanted to run in the room and strike them, but willed her body not to move.

The smaller man fiddled with a wrench. "Just ain't right. Especially since that sheila's sure something."

"Which, the rust one?"

"Yeah. That Pup doesn't deserve that."

"You're just whinging because you 'aven't got a sheila," the large man laughed.

"Naw! I'm just saying…we're the ones who rode for Immortan, we shoulda got something shine like her."

Capable squeezed her bag, her knuckles white, listening with hitched breath. Her heartbeat was so loud she was terrified they could hear it.

"I don't care, he can have that slag. She's spoiled goods, anyway. Ruined. Bitch can't even get a litter."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah! The only one out of her to live more than an hour was missing half a brain."

"Ah, was that the wife? I think I heard that about her too. Let him have her then. No wonder Joe was looking for a replacem–"

Their words struck her in the chest hard, as if she had been run through by a truck. She stumbled back into the wall while thick, painful sobs crawled up her lungs and threatened to pour out. Covering her mouth, she tried to hold them back, but they rose in her chest in crashing waves. She had to get away, far away. Capable turned and raced up the stairway as quietly as she could manage on trembling limbs, while the echo of their laughter trailed behind her.

~o~

Nux was leaning on the makeshift balcony of their room when Capable finally dragged herself to their floor. She wiped her face and swallowed, hoping he wouldn't notice her swollen eyes in the orange lamplight.

"Hey!"

"Hi," Capable mumbled, slowly making her way towards him, passing their bed and limping through the door to the platform that connected the garden to the treatment pipes. She came to stand next to him on the barrier, but not close enough to touch. "How're you feeling?" she squeaked out, but didn't really hear his answer.

Her skin prickled in the wind, and the cold bar against her bare arms stung, but she didn't move. Her stomach burned, as if devouring itself. Nux gripped the metal with both hands, his IV stand next to him. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she lied. Their sickening laughter still rung in her ears.

"Oh. Good. I heard something going on down below earlier. What's going on? Why was everyone out?"

"Just a disagreement. It's all over now."

"Oh. Okay. Great," he looked at her quizzically, but turned back to the yard. Tiny birds darted about in the sky above them, and Nux traced their flights with his eyes. Capable brushed away a single escaping tear, hoping he didn't see.

She leaned further over the rail, exposing her face to the chilly night air. Nux took a step closer to her, but she shifted her body away, feeling decayed and rotten. Spoiled.

"After Ruin comes in a few minutes and gets this off, wanna go for rations? I'm feeling charged today. Haven't actually been sick since morning. Plus I wanna show you something."

"I dunno...Maybe not the best after what went down today. And it's getting dark."

"C'mon, Cape! It'll be good, I promise. We're free to go anywhere," he squeezed her arm, then dragged his IV back into the room.

"Yeah, okay…" Too exhausted to fight it, Capable turned back and followed Nux. The two War Boys' words still ached in her chest, anchoring her to her past. She felt anything but free.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Sorry for the delay! Life got a little crazy lately. Thanks for reading!_  
**

* * *

 **CHAPTER EIGHT: Nux.**

Mechanical thunder vibrated through every bone in Nux's body as the engine roared to life. Shifting the stubborn lever into gear, foot ramming the gas, the vehicle lurched forward over the salt flat. In front of him on the dash, his bird friend nodded in approval.

As they accelerated, the world transformed into a smeared painting of sun-kissed colors that passed in a quick blur. At this speed, only the road ahead and his team at his flank mattered under the beating sun. A jackhammer drilled in his chest. Nux glanced at the bottle of chrome bouncing around on the empty seat next to him, but he didn't need it now. _This_ was his drug.

The car screeched against granite as they bounded over a ridge into the territory infested with Buzzards. Slit's hoarse laughter could be heard behind him, and in Nux's rear view mirror he smirked to see his friend throw crude gestures at the spiked vehicles in pursuit. Nux's nostrils began to sting from the noxious fumes from his own Chevy Coupe, but he didn't mind. It tasted wonderful, like life.

"Faster! _Fang it!_ " Slit screamed at Nux while thumping the top of their vehicle with his fist.

Obliging, Nux slammed his foot on the pedal bearing his namesake. He heard himself laughing. He needed to feel more, harder! Nux reached for the chrome, but his hand came up with not a bottle, but a handful of screws and bolts, the ones that restricted his broken leg. He tossed the bolts to the floor and turned back to driving. Coming down the other side of the ridge, Nux bounced along and had to grip the door frame to keep from flying into the passenger's seat.

Nux glanced around at the convoy flanking him, and just beyond that, the Glory, the War Rig, in the lead. When he turned back to the road, the sight hit him with a rush of cold water. A storm blacker than engine oil, a hundred canyons high, roared ahead in rolling waves of dust. They were about to drive right into it...and he knew they would likely not be coming back. In the very marrow of his bones, he knew the storm was Death, his ticket to Valhalla...yet he found himself easing up on the gas.

Nux's hands slid on the wheel, slick with sweat. "Fang it, Nux!" Came the words again, but this time they were different. Higher pitched, softer. Nux looked back at his lancer, and saw a flick of red hair flutter in the wind.

They had almost reached the cloud of flickering light, which had grown to twice its mass, pulsing, angry, and he looked back frantically at Capable, then ahead again. Ice rippled down his neck. She needed to get inside! _Now_! He tightened his grip on the wheel as Death bore down on them. "Get in!" He yelled, but she didn't seem to hear.

He pounded on the roof, frantically trying to get her attention and out of the torrential storm. Suffocating fear pulled the air from his lungs. He struck the roof again and again until his knuckles splattered red, screaming her name until he was hoarse. "Inside!" he finally managed to cry out again, but it was too late. The storm began to envelop them from all sides now.

Sucking in its cold air, Nux squeezed his eyes shut as they entered the great void.

~o~

Nux jolted awake. The sheets were a tangle at his feet, and his whole body was hot and clammy from breaking a fever. The morning sun stung his vision, so he rolled away from its glare and took a long breath. Rubbing his wet face, Nux reeled in the strange dream. With blurry eyes, he could make out Capable's form next to him on the far edge of the bed, safe, and was overcome by relief. Pushing the storm from his mind, Nux closed his eyes and tried to relive the memory at the wheel, barreling again across the badlands. His pulse had yet to stop racing. How good it felt to be riding again, even if for a short while. _Glory be._

The sun bore down on them with glaring impatience. Nux watched through his heavy lids as Capable stirred; she rolled over and shoved her face in the pillow. _"Not yet,"_ she grumbled. It was odd sleeping in this late. War Boys rose with the sun. Throughout his entire life, mornings had been associated with early toil and dragging his tired and oil-stained body out of the bunks. The early part of the day had never come easy for him. Now, with a girl stretching and yawning beside him...he loved mornings. Even the ones when he felt like his head was wrapped around an axle. The best ones were when they would wake up in a tangle of each other.

Nux smiled. He stretched his hands over his head and gave a grunting sigh, then flopped his arm over Capable's waist, pulling her against his scarred chest...just as he had done every morning since he had felt well. However, he was surprised when her body grew rigid in his arms. Not a moment later, she pulled from his grasp and got out of bed without a word. Nux went crimson. _O gods, am I too sweaty?_

 _No...Maybe she just wants to get going for the day._

He loved mornings for another reason. The promise that _that_ could happen again...Nux turned over and pretended to fall back to sleep as he watched Capable through cracked eyes. _O glory please today._ Nux's face grew warm at the memory of surprising her that evening, the flash of wonder, and every day he hoped to catch another glimpse. While Capable was apparently comfortable enough with him to sleep in her underclothes, Capable was modest enough to keep those moments a mystery. Sharing the space was both fascinating and equally exasperating.

She straightened her night shirt, grabbed a hairbrush, and made her way to the hot spring room. From his angle, he could see the edge of Capable's hip as she began to fill the small basin in the sink. The vents moaned as the pumps turned on. The mirror became clouded with a steam and disguised his view of her face. Nux listened to her splash her face with what must have been scorching water.

Odd.

She shut the door to Nux's dismay. He heard more rushing water, and his mind began to spin stories of her life behind closed doors, and the serendipitous path that brought them here. It had been two months exactly since their fateful night in the canyon. Hard to believe it. It was even harder to believe she would spend so much of her time with him. He had to chastise himself every time he asked _why_. No. For the rest of his Half-Life, he needed to forget that question and instead soak in her wonderful smile, her silly sense of humor, and every touch.

 _Touch._ Nux glanced down at his hands resting near his face. They didn't seem like his own. They were so...clean. It was probably for the better though. Capable wouldn't want his filthy hands on her. The brief image of touching her skin made his stomach go wild, so he swallowed the thought.

As he lay there, he felt his body nearly trembling, muscles twitching from the fuel of his dream and excitement for today. He was eager to get going. He had wanted to take Capable to the Western Butte last night after rations, but they only made it as far as the lift when Nux was violently sick. "Sorry," he had groaned to the gawking War Pups that would be stuck hosing down the elevator. After that, Capable had helped him back to the room where he spent the rest of the evening keeled over, as she sighed, "Tomorrow, okay?"

Now it was tomorrow, and he was anxious to try again. He was feeling loads better from the night before, and strange restlessness was growing in him. Every day was one closer to getting to ride again. His skin itched and sparked, his mind willing his body to heal. The sooner he recovered, the more time he would have for working on a car again in what was left of his Half-Life. Maybe even the War Rig, if he was lucky.  
As more time crawled by and Capable still hadn't emerged, Nux grew impatient and got up. He had to be back up in the afternoon for his second last day of treatment, so he wanted to make the most of feeling well. As he hobbled over to grab his crutch, Nux spotted some of Capable's clothes in a pile on the floor. Curious, he leaned over as much as his fragile ribs would allow and picked up the small, delicate...

The sound of the door opening made Nux toss the garment to the side.

Nux jolted upright, cracking his ribs as Capable appeared in the room, trailed by ribbons of steam.

He squinted in sharp pain, then smiled, "G'morning," while his eyes darted to anywhere but her.

"Hi," Capable muttered as she passed by without a glance. She grabbed a loose green dress crumpled on the floor and threw it on over her underclothes. Next, she reached for her boots lying by a dresser made out of a tool cabinet.

"I'm feeling revved enough to go down for food today, I think. Could probably eat everything," Nux beamed.

"That's good." Capable turned her back to him as she tied her boots.

"Just two more days!" he added while he hobbled past her into the hot spring room, grinning.

Capable's attention was held to something on the dresser. "Huh?"

"Two more days! Treatment!" he called as he turned on the faucet to fill the basin and smirked. Water at his beckoning still never failed to amaze him.

"Oh. Oh right...That's good," she replied, but her voice sounded funny, like it was about to shatter.

Nux left the basin filling and shuffled back to the door frame. He looked over at her, quizzically. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing...Just a little tired," she sighed.

"Oh. Okay." Nux tapped the door frame and a loose granite chunk fell off. He kicked it under the sink. "And after rations I can show you what I promised?"

"I dunno..." Capable's voice was hollow, like an echo.

"C'mon!" he coaxed, "It'll be worth it."

Capable sighed. "Alright. Let's get going then."

~o~

The two didn't talk on the way down to the bunks after rations. _She must be tired after all that commotion yesterday_ , Nux told himself, but he didn't pry. Capable followed a few steps behind, and seemed to move with a small limp. As he stole glances at her, Nux noticed that she wouldn't stop looking around, and every time a War Boy passed, she flinched.

Nux was hit with pangs of nausea, but he was able to move a lot quicker now on his crutch. His rib cage still felt like it was made of glass shards, but at least he could finally place pressure on his foot. The pins in his leg sometimes itched, sometimes stung, but he was beginning to like the look of the metal splint. Part machine, just like Furiosa.

This would be the furthest he would be traveling in one day since his injury. The fuel in his veins pulsed hot, accelerating his heart, but he was also dizzy with nerves. _What if he couldn't make it all the way?_

Capable shadowed Nux as he moved along the narrow hallway towards the Western Butte's bridge. He kept turning to look at her, smiling, but she would only return a half-hearted gesture. _She'll feel better when she gets down there,_ he thought. _Just wait till she sees it!_

The grating of metal with each drag of Nux's stiff leg became the only sound in the dark hall. The silence began to itch his skin, so he finally asked, "Um...You think I'll work on the War Rig when I'm healed more?"

"Dunno," Capable mumbled.

"Maybe Furiosa can make it happen?"

"Doesn't she want you to focus on something else first?"

Nux frowned. _She's right._ However, he was a rev head, not an ambassador. Maybe if Furiosa saw how fast he healed, or how he swayed the others, the sooner she would put him on a vehicle again. Or...the War Rig.

Getting lost in his hero fantasies, Nux turned a corner in the main stairway of the Western Butte, and almost walked into a figure coming the opposite way. _Furiosa!_ She seemed equally surprised to see them. Nux hadn't talked to her since she visited him in the treatment room. It seemed that her eye had finally healed, although it was still black around her lid and brow. One couldn't say the same for her chest wound, evident by the way she moved gingerly with a slight hunch. Seeing her now, Nux wondered if she would ever fully heal...or on that matter, if he would either.

Furiosa tilted her head at him. "Good to see you about. How're you feeling?"

Nux nodded. "Still dizzy, but more charged lately."

Furiosa looked down at his metal-encased leg. "And that...?"

"A few more months for the brace. Ruin's gonna do some scans and tests today. Maybe I'll have it off sooner," he grinned.

"How's the new room?"

"Everything is so _soft._ " Nux shook his head at his choice of words. It wasn't what he had meant to say to his Imperator, but it was quite true. Everything in that room, the curtains, the water, even the sheets, which Capable said were quite rough, were soft. "I mean, good."

"Great. You probably heard about the bullshit that went down yesterday," she sighed while glancing over at Capable, "but it's all sorted now, luckily. You War Boys are _exhausting_. On that note, I hope you remember what we talked about. We need all the help we can get."

Nux nodded. "Right."

Furiosa smiled sadly and made her way past them towards the engine bay, before turning back to call, "Just remember...You brought back what was stolen. They'll respect you, don't forget that."

Nux smiled. _Sure_. He and Capable made their way up the stairwell. It suddenly occurred to him that Furiosa and Capable had not exchanged a single word.

~o~

The tunnel narrowed and had grown more treacherous the further they moved up the throat of the mountain. Each step was smooth and slick from being worn down by millions of oily footsteps over decades. Despite the danger, Nux gave it no second thought. Each step was as familiar to him as his own body, and he could have navigated in the blackness, with a crutch or without.

He was panting as the reached the floor with bunks. It was just a little further, but he couldn't get excited, his mind still wrapped up in that last conversation. _What was going on with those two?_ That wasn't the first time Furiosa and Capable acted odd together. Nux scowled. Was there something Capable wasn't telling him?

The air grew heavy with fumes the further they traveled, making Nux's breathing strained. Capable trailed a few steps back, her arms wrapped around herself as she warily glanced down the narrowing tunnel. "So what is it that we need to march all the way to the bunks for?"

"You'll see. It's not in the bunks though. Past them. A work room."

"It's a car, isn't it?"

He frowned. He was hoping this would be a surprise. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Well what else would there be up here?"

Nux kept heaving himself forward through the tunnel. "Guess so."

"Are you sure it's still going to be there?" Capable slipped on one of the smooth steps on the landing but caught herself.

Nux paused in his tracks and stared back at her in confusion. "Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, you haven't really been around in two months."

He shrugged with his free arm. "Well, I'm not dead!" _What a weird question_. A few War Boys passed the opposite way, throwing them strange looks.

Capable frowned and crossed her arms. "So? What does that have to do with it?"

Nux shook his head and began shuffling forward again, past the section containing his old bunk. Sometimes she was a bit clueless when it came to how the world worked. "Boys don't touch another's rig if they haven't gone to Val– if they aren't dead. It's just not right."

"So when a War Boy dies...?"

"It's free to take and disassemble."

"And you've done that?"

"What?"

"Scavenged a dead man's vehicle," she stated.

"'Course. Boys' Half-Lives aren't forever."

"Morbid."

"Not really," Nux sighed, "those pieces become part of your own rig. They live on and ride glorious."

"But what about when you switched sides?" Her question sounded cold, caustic.

Nux peered back to try to see her expression, but it was clouded in shadow from the sparse car lights strung along the walls. He didn't answer, and instead focused on navigating the final tunnel. Nux led the way down the path and then turned left into a wide room. "...There!"

Just like he said it would be. In the wide, low-ceilinged garage stuffed with cars in various states of disrepair, the 1951 Chevrolet Special Deluxe rested at the far end on cement blocks. She seemed more shell than car, with no exterior save for the sloping hood, headlights, and roof, but she had come a long way since Nux scavenged her. He and Slit had been restoring her and refitting the hood with a V8. A tangle of metal parts were currently welded to the roof, where Slit had been busy installing a gun turret. Most of it was rusted, but there was a hint of the original sky blue on the front edge of the hood. Still, she looked wonderful. Seeing her again, exactly as he had left her before his world turned upside down, Nux's found his throat suddenly grew tight. He swallowed, overcome by a mix of excited nostalgia and what felt strangely like sadness.

A large vent snaked across the ceiling and pumped in hot air. "Built her from scratch," Nux beamed as the two ducked under the vent to get to the rig, "Took days just to get the parts back from the canyon." Nux was tempted to open the garage door at the end of the room to get better light. Outside this door was an industrial winch for lowering vehicles and a dead drop into the yard. It was a precarious effort to turn the crank that close to the ledge, and considering the state of his health, Nux thought the better of it and turned on a lamp instead.

Nux slowly approached his vehicle first, drawing his fingers along the rusted hood... _The very hood that he and Slit had dragged halfway across the Badlands on foot. Their truck broke down when they went to retrieve the rest of the Deluxe, but they couldn't bear leaving the last piece of her to get scavenged by some other marauders. Slit became so jumpy in Buzzard territory that he had dropped the rope and almost took off running at the sight of a monitor lizard._ _It took them nearly three hours, and the sky was black and speckled with stars by the time they dragged the hood and their weary bodies through the Citadel's yard._ Nux chortled at the memory and began to look the car over. In the dim light she wasn't at her full majesty, but she was still stunning. A swell of fervor surged through him, and his hands trembled. This car had history written in every rivet and every welded beam, and he couldn't wait to share her story with the woman who had become his closest friend. Capable had also voiced her desire on multiple occasions to get her hands dirty with cars again, and he was thrilled that he would be the one to make that possible. He turned to Capable, beckoning her closer, nearly shuddering in anticipation of hearing her fascination and possible praise for his hard work. Capable approached almost reluctantly, her eyes fixated not on the car, but on the narrow walls and ceiling of the stuffy garage.

Capable came to stand a few feet away from him, tugging at her green dress with tight fists. "It's nice, Nux. Really nice," she mumbled, her voice shuddering.

 _Nice?_

Nux's shoulders slumped in disappointment. That was not the word he had been expecting to hear. His Deluxe was shine, exquisite, fierce...anything but _nice_. He looked over Capable's solemn face, confused by an expression that said she was thoroughly unimpressed. From that frown, he knew what she was thinking... _She thinks it's just a dilapidated shit car better served as scrap._ Nux's fervor faded away just as fast as it had arrived. Capable stood apart from him, her eyes not on the vehicle but darting around, worried.

"Did you wanna...work on it?" he signaled towards the car, hoping maybe this would perk her up, but she just shook her head while gripping her arms tighter.

Pushing aside Capable's displeasure, Nux spent a few minutes shuffling around to inspect the car. He would have loved to look under the axle to see if his last repair job on a rust hole had set, but he knew his body wouldn't let him. Instead, he fidgeted with the front bumper that always seemed to come loose. However, it was hard to enjoy this work when his mind stayed fixed on her reaction, or rather, lack of reaction. _Why didn't she want to know more about it? Wasn't she the least bit curious about where he got it?_ He glanced over a few times at Capable, hoping she would _finally_ acknowledge its glory, but she kept peering back at the doorway. All the blood had drained from her face, and she looked almost physically ill. _Was she going to be sick on the floor in the garage?_ Something was off with her, and a strange unease began to creep through Nux's veins.

"It's nice, Nux. Real nice," Capable repeated while rubbing her arms again. Her chest was rising and falling at a quick pace. "but do you think we could head back soon?"

Nux let go of the bumper and stood up. "Really? We just got here."

"I know, I just..." she glanced around the room, at the walls, the floor, and the ceiling, fear creeping into her eyes. "...I can't stay here. I need to get out." Her breathing grew faster, and she began pacing in her place.

Nux picked at the stitches on his neck. "But I thought..."

"NUX! I can't breathe, okay? I'm leaving!" She spun towards the door.

"Wait!" Nux called and staggered towards her in a hurry, jarring his leg in the process. "Ah!" he cringed. Fortunately, she paused and waited for him to catch up. Nux sighed, "Alright, let's go."

~o~

The two walked back to the Central Butte together, mostly in silence. Nux was wheezing by the time they crossed a bridge and descended the stairs, and his head was spinning with questions he was too numb to ask. When they reached the rations hall, he finally blurted through wheezes, "Is everything...okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah. It's fine," Capable replied, her voice wavering.

"Did something happen yesterday? The riot? You can say."

"I'm fine, Nux! Look, I'm running behind today with work in the Vault. I'm going to have to skip rations. You can make it back on your own okay for your treatment, right?"

"Uh...Think so."

"Good. I'll see you later, then."

Nux watched her take off towards the Main Butte. Rations wasn't even for an hour! What was he supposed to do 'til then, alone? He shuffled uncomfortably. His right arm and shoulder ached from using the crutch, so he sat down on a bench and toed at the ground with his good foot. Some War Boys were hanging around nearby, but he wasn't in the mood to try to convince them how they should accept him for _bringing back what was stolen_. Bugs began to crawl under his skin. Over the last few days of nausea and fevers, the main thing getting him through the hurt was the excitement of showing her the Deluxe. He slumped, overwhelmed and ashamed by her disappointment. His mind played the events over, trying to find out why. Was she unimpressed by his work on it? No, she had been acting strange earlier as well. Now that he thought about it, she seemed a little despondent yesterday evening too. It was bizarre, as she had been so cheery that morning.  
He squeezed his unnaturally clean hands into fists and hesitated. Nothing would make him feel better than getting his hands filthy in an engine, but he didn't have the energy to take all those stairs again back to his rig. However, he had an idea. Grabbing his crutch, he began to make a detour down to the engine bay on the main floor. Maybe the scent of oil would cheer him up!

He reached the wide garage door entrance and peered around the dim space, packed wall to wall and ceiling high with vehicles of all kinds and conditions. The room was buzzing with life; dozens of War Boys, and even some Wretcheds, bustled about and fussed with various machines. _There!_ Nux spotted Max working on the battered remains of an Interceptor, which was in an even worse state than his Deluxe. Nux hobbled along the uneven dirt past the shell of an armored vehicle, coughing on the thick fumes. By the time he reached Max, he was out of breath and wheezing. "Hey Blood—Hey brother," he corrected himself.

Max nodded at him from his kneeling position next to the wheel well.

"Need a hand?" Nux asked.

Max grunted and pointed at his tool box before handing Nux some replacement valves.

Leaning carefully on his good leg with his hip against the car, Nux dug under the hood and began tinkering with the cylinders. Having spent two months away from this source of life, Nux almost began to shake with excitement. The earlier anxiety faded away the moment he touched the engine, and soon the only thing in his line of sight was metal, grease, and machine. The men worked in silence, oblivious to the ordered chaos around them. After a half hour or so, his vision became blurry. He stood up, leaned against the car, and took a few labored breaths to settle his spinning head. At one point he nearly toppled over, so he gripped the car tight.

"Maybe enough for today," Nux muttered. As soon as his body stilled, confusing thoughts about Capable flooded his mind again. He looked down at Max under the car, and a new thought began itching at him. This thought brought a wave of anxiety, so Nux tried to push it aside. However, it was quite a stubborn thought; it decided to stick around against his will, prickling his skin and making his stomach churn. Finally, he took a breath and decided to get it over with.

"Hey Brother. Hey." He fidgeted with a fuel injector in his hand.

Max pulled out from under the car, and looked up at him.

"Ask you something?"

Max didn't respond, which Nux took as a yes.

"How do you know if...well..." _Should I even say it?_ Nux shifted his weight side to side, his eyes locked on the ground. "How do you know...when something's wrong with..."

The gruff man shook his head in confusion. "Fuel injector?"

Nux looked at the object in his hands and scowled. _What kind of question is that?_ _How could Bloodbag think I didn't know...?_ Nux chided himself. _Keep focused._

"Some...oil...helps." Max added, each word separated by a hard turn of a wrench.

"No! The wives!" Nux chimed, "Capable's been...off. Seems she's trying to avoid me today."

"She's angry." Max responded bluntly.

"No! She's...Wait! _Is_ she?" Nux's eyes widened. _What did Max know?_

Max shrugged and looked at him before getting back to his car.

"She told you that?" Nux gasped. "Did I –"

Max waved his hand to dismiss Nux's worry.

"Oh, okay. Good. So do you know what's wrong with her, then?" Nux asked, his body tense in desperation.

"Dunno. What's she doing?" Max grunted while swapping the wrench for a welding iron.

"She's all quiet this morning. And then...been acting mental. Twitchy, like she's got metal slivers in her skin, all worried. Just showed her my Deluxe, and didn't even care. She couldn't _wait_ to get outta there."

"Is she sick?"

"Hmm...yeah! Just now at the car she looked queasy, liked she was gonna be ill. Couldn't stand near the car for long."

Max stayed quiet for a few moments as he got back to work on his car, sparks flying from the wheel well. Nux shifted onto his bad leg impatiently. For a guy who seemed to always know things, he was taking damn long to get to the point.

Finally Max looked up at him from the welding iron with a questioning look. "Pregnant?"

Nux inhaled suddenly and choked on something in his throat. He coughed a few times, making his face glow red, before he was able to get out, "No. Don't think that's it." At least he hoped to Valhalla wasn't. Nux had picked up enough about the wives on their journey (and The Dag's growing belly) to know that Joe's legacy still remained a threat. However, Capable didn't _look_ or even _feel_ different after two months. He had other reasons to believe it couldn't be that, either.

"Your girl's just upset then." Max stated bluntly as he ripped a large piece of rusted metal from the wheel well.

Nux crossed his brow and looked at Max, confused. "But...She said she's fine, though!"

Max snorted. "Doesn't sound it."

Nux put the fuel injector on the engine and picked at a piece of rust along the hood. "Can you explain why they do that?"

Max looked up. "Who..?"

"Them!" Nux exclaimed.

His friend shook his head again in confusion.

"Y'know. Women!" Nux responded, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

Max stared at him. "You want me to explain women."

Looking down to Max with eager eyes, Nux nodded earnestly, "Yes."

Standing up, Max gathered up his tools and walked around. Nux waited in anticipation, watching him. Max finally responded, his lips betraying a smirk. "You've had...a girl before, right?"

Going flush, Nux looked at the ground. "Uh, well yes...sort of. Just Wretched types. Not like this."

Max smirked.

Nux itched at the port in his arm with his oily hands, feeling completely exposed. "But there wasn't much talking. It wasn't really for that. _This_ is different."

In spite of Immortan Joe's effort to suppress corporeal behaviors, the War Boys were still human. It was an unspoken truth that War Boys would occasionally mix with the female Wretcheds, or whoever they preferred, even though most of their testosterone was redirected to fueling their vehicles and religious fervor. Thinking back, Nux couldn't recall being too interested in things corporeal, as most of his time and attention was dominated by cars. There had been one particular wretched girl, very pretty and with half a missing ear, many moons ago. However, as his religious fervor had grown, the more he saw those times with her as a slip of faith. Everything since then was for the love of the road and the greater Glory...until now.

Max turned back to his vehicle. "Give her time and...listen."

"Listen?"

Max grunted in agreement.

"Is that it?" Nux gaped.

"That's it. It'll be alright."

"Yeah?" Nux asked.

Max didn't respond, just tossed him a rag. Of course _he_ would give that sort of advice, the man who only seemed to know how to listen. Nux wiped his blackened hands, now finally looking again like his own. He wasn't sure whether that had cleared everything up, or whether he just felt more confused. Either way, it was a starting point. Grabbing his crutch, Nux called out, "Okay. Thanks, mate, for the car work and all," and left Max to his Interceptor.

~o~

The treatment room in the medical wing looked just as he had left it many weeks ago, although the room was occupied with a new crop of sickly faces. Nux was curious to find another ex-Milk Mother here; it was possible she was being trained as a nurse. As he leaned against the door, Nux could hear the familiar creaky wheel of the medical stand as Ruin rolled it inside the room. The IV bag trembled independent of the rest of the stand. Nux's body instantly relaxed, just like he always did at the sight of his doctor's cheery face.

"How you feeling, love?" Ruin asked.

"A'right." He smiled and blushed at what had become her pet name for him.

"Good! Any nausea?"

He nodded. "Bit. Made a mess of the lift yesterday. Less corroded this round, though."

She laughed. "That's good. Some days will be better than others."

The other ex-Milk Mother came up next to her to whisper something, and Ruin gestured to the radiology room before turning back to Nux. "Ready to start? The tests will give us an early idea of how the treatment is doing, and whether we need to reconsider our options."

 _Meaning if the treatment isn't working,_ Nux thought. _Maybe she's hinting at something._ If he had to be honest, he was skeptical they were doing anything other than making him feel like hell. A life cut in half can't be made whole. It's just not natural.

Ruin continued. "The tests shouldn't take long, but I need to warn you...they won't be pleasant. You don't get the luxury of a concussion to breeze through them this time. Think you'll be up for it?"

Nux knitted his brow and nodded. "Let's fang it."

As Nux soon found out, Ruin had been right. While the x-rays, CT scan, ultrasound, physical, and blood tests had been manageable, there was _nothing_ to describe pain of some of these other diagnostics, even with local anesthetic. _Dead right,_ Nux thought through gritted his teeth as the nurse biopsied his neck near the stitches. One test involving a long needle, which was disturbingly reminiscent of how Furiosa received her injury, was the worst of the lot. _Pain is a War Boy's life, pain is a War Boy's life,_ Nux had to chant to himself to keep from moaning as the needle entered his chest cavity.

The entire process made Nux flush, bruise, and tire from the constant tensing, so he was almost relieved when it came time to begin treatment. Nux looked down and watched with fascination as Ruin set up the pump and fidgeted with the port that had become a part of his arm. _Part machine._ He marveled at her delicate and automatic movements, evidence of having done it a thousand times before. He couldn't help but be reminded of his own dexterity with engines. He glanced up at her. "So people had Half-Lives in the Old World?"

"Yes", she sighed, grimly, "but it was mostly the old folks who got it when their bodies were done with living. Not all young ones like today. Like you."

His gaze returned to his arm. "Did this work?"

"Sometimes, sometimes not," Ruin muttered while inspecting the port. "Hmm. This may need to be re-fit soon. Just try not to touch or play with it." She cleaned the site and walked over to a table to retrieve fresh gauze. "So I hope to have the results in a few days. A nurse will let you know when you can come see me. I won't be around tomorrow since I'll be with a convoy most of the day."

Nux grunted in acknowledgment, so Ruin got back to inserting the IV into the cavern in his arm and adjusting his fluid level. When the sharp pain subsided, those thoughts returned again, and it suddenly occurred to Nux that Ruin, being female, may have a better idea on how to deal to Capable. _Asking Max first? Really?_ "Doctor, can I ask you something?"

She paused and looked at him.

"How do you deal with...?" The words suddenly fought from his grasp. "Capable seems down. Don't know what...Capable...and I..." This was getting harder. "We're..."

"Oh love, why didn't you say? I know!"

"Y'do?"

"Of course. I was wondering if you'd ever bring it up, like Capable did. Just a moment."

Ruin headed to the back of the room and returned a moment later with an assortment of contraceptives.

"Ugh...Never mind." Nux sighed as his face grew hot, then jumped. "Wait, _what?_ "

~o~

Nux played with the port in his arm as he leaned against the balcony railing outside his room. After the two hour treatment session, he was relieved to be out of that nauseating medical room and back to his own space in the fresh air. It was the calm before the storm, and all he could do was wait to see if the sickness hit. He didn't always get sick during the session, but sometimes it came in a dizzying, feverish flood minutes after the tube was removed. However, other treatment days he had felt perfectly fine. He was hoping today would be the latter, but based on his increasing number of dizzy spells since returning to the room, the outlook wasn't good. The sun would be setting soon. Nux was tempted to sit up on the wide railing to get a better view, but his weak body told the better. The few hundred foot tumble would not be good for his health.

Nux kept looking back at the door every few minutes, thinking he heard a sound, but was left disappointed by his imagination. He longed for Capable to be here, especially now. She was pretty good at helping him distract himself from the nausea. That was one reason, but there was also the fact that he wasn't too fond with the _alone_ right now. Alone was as new to him as music, x-rays, and trees. While he liked bits of being alone, such as the ability to breathe and think without getting flooded by other voices, there was getting to be too much of it lately. With his new life, it dawned on him just how crowded his existence before had been. People had been a constant fixture during nearly every waking moment of his memory. While he and other War Boys understood the concept of loneliness, it was too ethereal to grasp how it truly felt. Was _this_ loneliness? If so, he was disappointed to discover that it felt a lot like sick. A loud rattle of chains and gears echoed throughout the yard, interrupting his thoughts. War Boys were raising a scavenged tank on a lift, and the Boys themselves were swinging around the chains hooting and hollering a hundred feet high with complete disregard for their safety.

Scowling, Nux was overcome with a nauseating spell unrelated to his treatment. He needed to be out there. Sickening envy crept under his skin. _Lucky bastards_. Nux's stomach gave a sudden jolt, and he was almost sick on a small crowd standing below. Fortunately, he was able to suppress the reflex and took a long, calming breath. "Great," he sighed aloud. Another day to feel terrible, betrayed by his own frustrating body.

Looking beyond into the landscape, the canyon stood. In the chilly evening wind, it almost felt like it was exhaling against him. He recalled having a realization that the canyon was alive, but couldn't quite place the memory. Out in the Badlands, home of the Buzzards, the dunes shifted with the strong winds, their movements reminiscent of snakes slinking across the landscape. _Who killed the world...?_ _But look, the sand is living, slithering..._

Nux rested his head on his arms and took a long, soothing sigh. The wind sighed back and cooled his febrile shoulders. He shivered in its embrace, but still found a strange comfort. If the world kept on living and thriving through the rocks, wind, and sand, then maybe he wasn't ever _really_ alone.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE: Nux.**

The next morning was Nux's last day of treatment for this cycle. Fortunately it only needed to be for an hour, and the resulting illness was nowhere near as bad as the previous night. He had spent the evening before getting increasingly febrile. By the end of that night, he was curled in a fetal position on the floor, shivering and retching, unable to move. Eventually he passed out in the same spot, still alone.

Nux woke to Capable sitting on the end of the hard mattress, putting on her boots. He couldn't explain how he ended up in the bed. His awakening drew Capable's attention. "Oh. Hey. I'm going to the Vault for the day. I'll see you later," she muttered as she strode towards the door and grabbed her bag.

"What?" Nux sat up fast, dislodging some ball-bearings in his skull. He squinted at the pain. "Want me to join? Doing alright – ow – today."

Capable turned and shook her head. "No, it's ok. You should rest."

"Really! I'm well," he lied.

"Nux, it's just better this way. I'll see you." Capable disappeared around the corner, and Nux's eyes remained on the empty doorway.

After dressing and freshening up, Nux waited anxiously for the nurse to arrive with the medicine. While he felt well enough to go down to rations this time, he wasn't hungry.

~o~

For hours, Nux paced back and forth in his room as much as his IV pole and crutch would allow. His stomach was still unsettled from both the medicine and Capable's odd behavior. He paused to pick splinters off the crutch. She said nothing was wrong. Would she lie to him? What if the problem was…him? He had been trying to be considerate of her comfort level, but what if he wasn't being forward enough? His eyes darted around their room. _What are we? Roommates_ , he frowned.

 _What did I do wrong?_

Around midday, the nurse returned to remove the tube in slow, delicate steps, and Nux glared at the man impatiently. Nux was so familiar with this procedure now that he was certain he could do it himself. When the nurse finally left with the equipment, something dawned on Nux. He just wanted to know what was going on in Capable's head, so why hadn't he thought of this before? It was so obvious!

Feeling himself weak but not ill, he made his way next door. It had been annoying lugging his IV pole around, so it was nice feeling free again. However, even getting to the door was tiring. The medicine began to spin his head in circles, so he held still for a moment. The last thing he wanted to do was vomit on Toast's doorstep. When the wave passed, he took a deep breath and knocked.

He was surprised to find not Toast, but The Dag answering the door. The woman closest to meeting his height gave him a look over. "Yeah? Capable's not here."

"That's not why…no..." he looked at her, confused. "Thought Toast was…"

"She just popped out. Whatcha want?"

Nux rocked side to side, uncertain.

"Cough it out, War Boy."

"Just wanted to ask Toast…private…" With the door open, Nux tried to peer into Toast's room, having not visited it yet while mentally sound. He had spent some time in there when ill from treatment, but was pretty certain the walls weren't supposed to ripple. The Dag's impatient expression brought Nux's attention back to her. He buried his free hand in his pocket and shrugged. "Doesn't matter." _This was a stupid idea._

Nux began to turn back, but stopped when he felt someone playfully pinch side. Then came Toast's voice from behind him. "Oy! Lover boy! Going to steal Capable for another night?"

"Huh? Nux stammered.

Toast appeared next to him, holding a small basket. "Didn't you know? She pretty much abandoned us the second you arrived. I don't think she's spent a single night away from you when you were stone out."

Nux mumbled something incomprehensible as his neck heated.

Toasted pushed past The Dag and gestured for Nux to follow. Upon entering her room, he finally could take in the space. To the left was the door that connected their rooms via the hot springs. A motorcycle helmet painted with a wolf skull sat on a mantel, making him smirk. He also liked the wispy blue curtains and the disordered piles of knickknacks and guns. _Very Toast,_ he thought as he leaned against a dresser.

The Dag dropped herself on Toast's daybed and crossed her arms. "Apparently he wants to ask you something, but _apparently_ it's too _delicate_ a matter to share with me."

Nux rolled his eyes and turned to Toast, picking at the new stitch over his biopsy. "Was just wondering…Why's Capable upset?"

"Why wouldn't she be? After all that rubbish from the other day!"

His eyes widened. "Huh? What rubbish?"

Toast lifted herself up on a wide steel table and crossed her legs. "You know, after the riot."

Nux shook his head.

"Didn't she tell you? We're not allowed in the yard anymore."

"Yeah. I never got to thank you two for taking the time to _ruin_ that for the rest of us." The Dag quipped.

Toast glared at her. "Hey, shut up! Cheedo in the yard as well. Blame her too."

Nux's head felt stormy with this strange news. "But why can't you go out there now?"

"We're commodities." Toast groaned.

"What?"

"Goods to be traded." The sourness in Toast's voice was clear. She crossed her arms and looked him over.

"Oh. Right." Nux muttered grimly as he processed the news. _Had they really been banned from the yard? And why hadn't Capable said anything?_ The thought of any of them being restricted made him balk. _Hadn't they had enough of that already?_

Nux rubbed his cheek. "So is that why she is being so…"

"Bitchy?" The Dag smirked.

"Wasn't gonna say that."

Toast shrugged. "I dunno, that's a tad surprising. I didn't think it would upset her so much. It's annoying, yeah, but we can still do loads here. Who knows with that girl? She's touchy sometimes."

"What should I do?"

Toast's composure changed, and she beamed at The Dag. "Aww! He wants to make Capable feel better! Now wasn't it _good_ we shoved him off the Rig?"

"Seemed to have knocked something right in his head," The Dag added.

It was getting harder to stand, so Nux gently hoisted himself up on the table a few feet from where Toast also sat. "I just don't know if I..."

The Dag looked him up and down. "What? Worried that maybe it's you?"

Nux's skin grew cold – _How could she know?_ – while Toast laughed. "Oh come off it. Don't scare him." Toast reach over to where he sat and dropped something into his pale hands. He opened up his palms to find a pile of stunning red fruit. "Cherries," she whispered.

The Dag picked at her own handful and chewed. "So are you two a couple or something? Have you even fu–"

"Stop that! Don't be so bogan," Toast chided.

The Dag shrugged. "But maybe it _is_ him! You know Capable. She gets obsessed with things then loses interest. Remember knitting? She made all those stupid hats?"

"Holy cross, Dag! She lost interest because she lost her fucking ba–" she glanced over at Nux, and closed her mouth.

He cradled the fruit in his palms uncertainly. Toast gestured to Nux's hand and coaxed him. Obliging, Nux bit into one.

"Don't swallow the seeds! I need 'em," The Dag added, holding up a skull bearing the pits.

Nux could barely hear her, because he was overwhelmed by a flood of tangy sweetness unlike anything he'd ever tried. Fresh fruit was one of those luxuries reserved for the gods up here in the heavens, and now Nux understood why. The juice tasted of the deep rouge glinting on the evening canyon. _Was this what rain tasted like?_

The Dag eyed Nux's odd expression. "As I was saying…You're gonna lose her if you don't War Boy up. Do something dramatic. Blow her away. Trust me."

"That's exactly what you _don't_ do," Toast snapped. "The Dag doesn't know anything but tanning hides. Don't listen to her."

Nux head felt dizzy, uncertain whether it was the medicine kicking in.

Toast nudged his arm. "Just give her space, yeah?"

"Space?" The words didn't register in his soldier brain of cramped bunks and swarms of men working as a hive.

Toast continued, "Just…step away. Let her have some time. She probably has a lot of things to work out. We all do."

Nux hadn't thought of that. He looked down and was disappointed to find only seeds in the palm, his handful of berries gone.

The Dag flopped back on the bed. "Suit yourself. You're gonna lose her of you don't try. Look at the prime choice she has around. Capable's not going to wait around for anyone."

The three lounged around the room for a while, with Nux mostly keeping silent. He began to enjoy their banter, being part of a group again. With the few exceptions of trips to the rations hall, he hadn't really spent any time with the Boys, or his old friends. He wasn't sure if they could even be considered that now. Even before his world changed, most of his time had been spent with Slit, and that chapter had clearly ended. If Nux was going to be completely honest with himself, he _had_ been lonely these last few days that Capable stayed at a distance.

When The Dag left to tend to her seeds, Toast placed her hands on her hips and turned to look at Nux directly. "Now forget everything she just said to you. She's an idiot. Don't even _think_ about surprising Capable with some grand gesture. She's jumpy enough already."

Nux glanced over at her, relieved to finally hear some real advice.

"C'mon," she added, smiling. "I have something better in mind. You're strong enough to walk a bit of a way?"

"Think so."

"Great!" She grabbed his free hand and pulled him up to stand. "Hope you're not afraid of heights."

~o~

The blinding light seared his vision as they emerged from the tunnel into the sky. Nux blinked until his eyes adjusted, and when they did, his mouth fell open at the sight.

 _"The Green Place,"_ Nux gasped.

He had seen it from afar, the hints of vegetation touching the sky, but this was another world. Before them, in every direction, was more life in one place than Nux had ever seen before. The agriculture terraces and gardens descended in graduated steps below them before dropping off into oblivion at the edge of the Butte. Nux blinked again, not from the harsh light, but from adjusting to a new range of color.

He could see everything from here, from the canyons to the dead lands. A world that seems to go on forever. From up here, the landscape didn't quite look real. The desert dunes and their shadows snaked across the wasteland and cascaded colors that varied from cream to vermillion.

Toast laughed, amused by his wonder. "Here, hold this!" She handed him a small woven box and made her way into the closest garden.

Nux followed a few steps back. He didn't know that air could taste this clean. He took a deep breath, the cold inhale renewing something inside his being. "You've been here before?" he called out to Toast, finding it hard to pull his attention away from the immense world of green.

"Twice. We all have. But they weren't pleasant memories."

"For what?"

"Ceremonies," she replied flatly.

Nux didn't have to put two and two together. Binding wives to Immortan had taken place here. Above and behind them was a beautifully constructed terrace that seemed out of place in a city made of grit and oil. A place for ceremonies. Regardless, based on Toast's clear excitement up here, he imagined it was too lovely a place to be ruined by those awful days.

"Wait here," Toast told him, before disappearing into the terraced gardens.

Nux's legs began to shake from strain, so he dropped himself down on a boulder and looked out to the horizon. The cold, salty wind was still flooding in from the west, and up here it roared and nipped at his bare skin. It tugged at his arms, begging him to follow its path towards the edge of the void. He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering, ignoring its beckon.

As he watched the shifting landscape, he heard something strange, like a hollow scratching or a whisper. It was no sound he had ever heard before. _What was it?_ He searched around, looking for the machine or animal making the noise. Then it occurred to him. It was the rustle of leaves.

Toast returned with something at hand and gestured to Nux to present the box. With utmost care, she placed it inside. "It's not much, just a token, but it will make her smile. I know it."

~o~

It had just begun to get dark when Nux returned to his room, feeling oddly giddy. He was met by the sound of rushing water and saw that the door to the hot spring room was closed. Capable seemed to be spending a lot of time in there the last few days. Just as Nux placed the box on the dresser, Capable emerged with partly damp hair and reddened eyes. It occurred to Nux that she looked like she had just gone through treatment of her own.

His own chest hurt seeing her like this, so he reached for the box behind him, but stopped when she began to speak.

"Nux. I was thinking…I was…I was just talking to Toast, and…"

She was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Nux gawked. _Talking to Toast? Funny, because I was just with her._

"You two decent, I hope?" Came a muffled voice.

"It's open," Capable sighed.

The heavy door swung open and Cheedo appeared. "Hey! Furiosa wants us down in the engine bay before rations. She's holding a mandatory rally."

"Do we have to?" Capable groaned.

"Um. It's mandatory?"

"Fine. Are you and other the girls going?"

Cheedo gawked. "Mandatory! Cape, are you high or something?"

Capable shrugged and looked away.

Cheedo turned to Nux. "Furiosa also wanted me to tell you that this would be good time to speak with the War Boys too, really get them on our side."

"She says what?" Nux's skin went cold. _Speak? To the Boys? So soon, before he was even riding?_

Cheedo shrugged. "I dunno. You'll be fine, I'm sure," she beamed.

Nux swallowed.

~o~

The three descended together, slowed by Nux's injuries and dizzy spells, and it was clear that Cheedo tried her best to hide her impatience.

"Why the engine room? Why couldn't she just talk during rations?" Capable asked, the only words on their journey down directed at Nux.

"Cause _he_ held 'em here." Nux thought, remembering the Immortan's sermons.

By the time the three arrived in the wide engine bay, it was already shoulder to shoulder thick with lumbering, pale bodies. War Boys had perched on every vehicle and every surface that could be considered a seat. Boys even hung off the chains suspending the many car lifts, their light bodies obscured by the steam spewing out of the vents. At the far end of the room, on a platform overlooking the vehicles ten feet off the ground, stood Furiosa. On spotting her, Nux reluctantly parted with the women and made his way to his own kind. Nux watched Capable and Cheedo push through the crowd towards the main platform to join the other women and Max. Next to Furiosa were also some of the ex-Milk Mothers, including Ruin.

Nux found a place where he could lean against the wall near the thick mass of soldiers, not far from the Interceptor. War Pups and Wretcheds skulked in too, standing at the back. At first glance it seemed like a large group, but the crowd was probably smaller than at a normal meal. _So much for mandatory,_ Nux frowned. Regardless of their compliance, their numbers were smaller now. The Fury Road had claimed just too many.

Standing amongst his own, Nux's legs began to tremble as he struggled to keep upright. The day had been exhausting, and that last trip down had him nearly spent. To distract himself from the pain and exhaustion, Nux watched his comrades. Many of the Boys had adorned themselves in clay and blackened eyes for the occasion, much as they did with Joe. Nux suddenly felt unnaturally clean, and a sting of fear hit him. _Do I stand out?_ It felt queer being among his own kind but completely outside of them. Where did he belong?

As they waited for the rally to begin, Nux decided to try to mingle with the other Boys as requested. They stood in groups, chatting and laughing. Nux rang his immaculate hands nervously. He hoped none of the Boys would notice them, oil-free. Spotting a familiar group of five comrades, Nux made his way over and joined them in conversation. For the next few minutes, he tried to say something up about the betterments of the Citadel since the Siege, but he found his voice too dry. Giving up on that, he tried to keep up with their conversation, but few humored him with their full attention. One larger Boy, with a heavily scarred face and eye concealed by a tumor, began seething about Furiosa.

"She's damning us, y'know! We go along with her Citadel, an' we'll pay for it, we will! Joe won't carry us to Valhalla. Hell, he won't even be waiting for us anymore, like he said he would. He'll have chained the Gates shut."

Nux snorted. "That's won't happen."

The Boy sneered, "Yeah? And why not?"

"Nothing to chain. I've seen it." An image flashed of his fevered arrival to the Citadel. "There are no gates."

The Boy turned on him, glaring through his tumors. "Like you'd know shit. Why would we listen to _you_? When's the last time _you_ rode?"

The stinging words silenced Nux. Fortunately, he soon caught sight of his old friends, and abandoned this group as quickly as his crutch would allow.

"Did you ride today?" He asked in a typical War Boy greeting.

"Course!" Kane answered, his eyes on the platform.

"Who's your lancer?"

"Ruck."

Nux's jaw dropped. "What? He can't aim for shit!" He felt someone knock his shoulder.

"Oy Nux, finally come back to your brothers?" Auroch chuckled, throwing a rough arm over Nux's shoulder and squeezing. "How you going?"

"Shine," Nux responded, smiling, as he straightened himself up.

"So how's that sheila treating you?" Auroch grinned, then turned to Kane. "Oy did ya hear? This one's gone and got 'imself a wife."

Nux rubbed his neck. "Hah, not quite."

Auroch stretched his scarred arm towards the stage. "Ehh! Which one's your girl, then?"

It didn't feel right, but Nux still gestured in Capable's direction.

"Ah! That rusted one. She's…twitchy. Nervous," observed Auroch, "That her?"

"Yeah." Nux smirked, and felt beetles flutter around his belly.

"Why aren't you with her now? Wasting your time with us filth." Kane smirked.

 _What kind of question was that?_ Nux shrugged. "Just...just giving her space."

"C'mon, why don't we go over?" Auroch teased.

Kane joined in, "Yeah, I wanna meet this sweetheart."

Nux's chest tightened in panic. "No! She…she wouldn't want me there," he blurted out before he could understand it.

"Hmm. Doesn't sound like your girl then," Kane smirked.

Nux stared at Kane, unable to respond, when suddenly all attention turned to the stage. A tall War Boy that had been standing next to Furiosa strode to the front of the platform. The Boy raised his arms high, interlinked his fingers, and bellowed, "FOR THE POWER OF THE V8!" The Boy cheered and all around followed suit.  
Nux leaned on his crutch and didn't join in making the prayer gesture. It hurt to raise his arms like that, the stitches in his ribs still sensitive. That's the reason he gave himself, anyway.

The Boys chanted and praised. Their droning shook Nux's body and his head spun from déjà vu. Almost as soon as the chanting had begun, the room grew quiet. Nux strained his neck, and saw that Furiosa had just taken a step forward. There was no microphone before her. She didn't need it. Her presence alone commanded silence.

"Thank you. Thank you all for your time here tonight."

Nux glanced around at the soldiers. While some watched her with wide eyes of admiration, others sneered and made crude gestures.

"You all are here today because you, like those of us who escaped Joe's brutality, are ready for a New World. However, there may be some of you who are still uncertain where your loyalties lie. Remember, if a man who claims to be an immortal god can bleed, then his words are only as strong as the sand he stands on."

There were some angry murmurs in the crowd.

Furiosa ignored the feedback, and continued, gesturing with her machine arm: "In the last two months I have already seen the wonders of what a free society can accomplish. We are eating better, working harder, reaching new horizons through stronger alliances, all without the tyranny of a false god. Today, we are here to better brothers, sisters, and better selves."

There were some mutters of agreement around Nux, making him feel a swell of pride for her. Furiosa waited until it quieted again. "We understand that to accomplish this goal, we also need high octane bodies. Therefore, starting today, rations will be increased, and there is no longer a prohibition on alcohol." Some cheers. "However, production will be centralized to prevent methanol poisonings like last time."

 _Clever,_ thought Nux. _Satiated Boys aren't rebellious Boys._

Furiosa then briefly spoke about Half-Life treatment, and Nux was surprised to learn of the new options for War Boys to gain basic education in agriculture or medicine. Then, she added, "While the embargo is still on with Gas Town, we just received word that our convoy has arrived in Barter Town, so we should have methane arriving soon." She paused, glancing around at the crowd. "This time we got lucky. It just goes to show we can no longer depend other cities to bail us out. We cannot afford petty squabbles. We need to work as a unit, as an engine, or we stall. We perish."

The room was silent, transfixed.

"You all know that the desert isn't kind to a broken down machine. It rusts and eats it away into nothing, just as it will do to us if we aren't working together. You all know how impossible it is to stop rust once it starts...but you are also aware that the best way to get rid of rust is to stop it from forming in the first place."

Furiosa gripped the platform railing, her voice raising, determined: "We can't undo the rust Joe created, but we can redeem the harm we've done. To each other, to our women," she glanced at the ex-wives and the ex-Milk Mothers, "to this Wasteland."

 _Redemption._ The word played over in Nux's head.

"We all need to –" A loud vibration shook the chamber, cutting Furiosa off. Dust fell from the roof and a few War Pups shrieked. _Earthquake?_

Everyone stood looking about in silence, waiting. Then, there it was again. The room trembled, a growl of cars grew outside, and it became clear that this was no earthquake. To Nux, there was no denying that grumble of Plymouth sedans, a favorite of those bandits. _Buzzards!_

The other War Boys also came to the same realization as one screamed "RAID!" In a heartbeat, the War Boys jumped into action. As the crowd rushed out of the engine bay to their positions, a siren began to wail, making the pressure in Nux's ears throb. The engine bay doors were cranked open, and immediately any vehicle in decent enough shape to ride tore off into the yard. Seeing the excitement for glory and death in the War Boy's faces, a thought occurred to Nux: _This is my chance!_

Nux weaved upstream through the torrent of people towards the platform. He limped and shoved but found himself out of breath by the time he reached half way. There were just too many people. "Move!" he yelled both at the cheering crowd and at his own muscles. _I can't miss this chance._ After two months, he thought this would be easier. He just still felt so weak, so sore. A War Boy ran into him.

"Fuck outta ma way, mongrel!" the Boy snarled.

Ignoring the man, Nux pushed on. He had almost reached the platform when Capable appeared ahead of him with Toast. A young Wretched girl, who couldn't have been more than ten, ran past and tumbled between them, about to be trampled by the crowd. Capable immediately grabbed her and pulled her up, wrapping her arms protectively around her. Another explosion shook the room, and Nux stared in awe as Capable shielded the Wretched girl's body with her own.

 _A flash of a rusted girl soothing a broken enemy with a touch to the lips._

"Nux, c'mon!" Capable snapped, grabbing his arm and dragging him back towards the stairs. However, Nux's only determination grew, so he resisted her urging. She pulled again, harder. "We have to go!"

"Just wait. I need to..." he yanked his arm from Capable's grasp, leaving her with the Wretched girl, and pushed through more people to reach their Imperator.

Furiosa was barking orders and the War Boys followed suit, rushing to the barracks. Another explosion shook the Butte, and the lights flickered. Nux's neck grew cold with the sudden awareness of just how much granite stood above their heads. However, he shook the thought and kept his focus on the woman ahead of him, taking a deep breath.

Furiosa hopped off the platform and began making her way towards the stairs in the direction Capable was heading. "All Boys to their rigs!" Furiosa screamed, "I need Alpha and Delta fleets out _now!_ "

"Furiosa!" Nux scrambled through the last crowd of War Boys. "Furiosa! I can ride!"

Furiosa walked past him with the Bullet Farm General and Max at her side. She kept moving. Oblivious. Or ignoring him?

Nux pushed through some War Boys. "Furiosa!" he cried out again, wheezing.

She turned to look him straight in his eager eyes, and her face was completely pale. He was taken aback, but then stammered, "Furiosa…I…Send me out there! I can ride! Or lance!"

"No. You're too sick. You need to stay." She turned back to the General.

"Please! I _need_ to go."

"No, I need you to keep the War Boys in line."

"But they won't _listen!_ They won't listen to a Boy who can't ride!"

She turned her attention back to her troops. "Let's go!"

"Please! Furiosa!" Nux begged, but she was already gone, parting the crowd with her presence.

Nux stared as her path was slowly filled by excited bodies. Gradually the room emptied, and Nux was left to face the firefight through the open garage door. He stood, frozen, staring as the convoy took off after the raiding vehicles…A convoy that should have included _him_. Nux leaned on the crutch. "Godammit!" He cursed into the dirt below, but his voice was deafened by the roar of vehicles. His body, a dead weight under him, yearned to collapse, making him snarl in frustration. It was all because of this sick, ill, broken, feeble body, _this shit excuse_ of a body, that he wasn't where he was supposed to be right now. It was a body that didn't belong to a War Boy. Closing his eyes tight until it hurt, Nux's was struck with an icy realization. _A War Boy who can't ride is no War Boy._ Rideless, sick, pitiful, he didn't deserve the title. His throat began to swell up, so he forced out a few coughs to keep it from spreading to his eyes.

A few more vehicles disembarked the lifts and raced across the yard past the skeleton of a sedan. In that moment, something pulled in Nux's chest – his spirit, his heart, his innocence, whatever it was – and ripped itself free to tear off after them into the darkness. What it left in its wake was a shell of a Boy, not even enough to be considered a Half-Life. Peering up through blurred eyes, Nux watched as the last vehicle disappear behind the Butte. He saw flashes of smoke, heard their animated cheers, and they were gone.

~o~

Nux dragged his exhausted body up the steps, defeated. The place had been on lockdown for three hours, in which only military personnel had been permitted to leave the Central Butte. Now that the Citadel had finally calmed, the lockdown was lifted, and now the carcasses of invaders could be cleared from the yard by the willing. There had been no Citadel fatalities, much to the War Boys' dismay. Excited whoops of Nux's kindred echoed in the yard. He wanted their voices out of his head.

As Nux crossed the rations hall, he saw Furiosa sitting on a far bench, alone, her hands pressed into her face. Her body shivered. Nux made to approach her, but then thought better of it and passed without a word.

He eventually reached the greenhouse level, but his mind couldn't stop replaying the events. His face felt flush with embarrassment. Had others seen him beg? "Ugh! What kind of War Boy begs?" he growled.

Another thing was bothering him. Raids happened occassionally, but why _then_? That was impeccable timing, with so many in the Citadel occupied at the rally and so many War Boys off to Barter Town…Or maybe it was too much of a coincidence.

Capable was in the room when he got back. She smiled at him, so he forced a smile back. However, he noticed that when she looked away, her eyes trailed to the side, full of something lost, sad. Nux made his way past her and peaked over the balcony. The vehicles were just driving back into the garages, the raid successfully quelled, and with that went his dream of riding today. His stomach grew tight, and he almost had an urge to be sick again. He looked back at Capable, who was busying herself in the room. She was doing something…packing up her things.

Nux walked up to her, perplexed. What did Max say? _Listen._ Ok, he would try that. "Is everything shine?"

Capable looked up from shoving a shirt into her bag. "Oh. I was going to tell you before. I talked to Toast today. I think I'm going to spend a few nights in her room, okay? Just a few days."

Nux blinked. "Oh…Sure."

Their way of life was growing platonic. Was Kane right? Was she not his? If that's the case, what were they? Friends who shared a bed? He was so tired, tired of the pain, tired of all this confusion.

 _Listen. Don't listen._

Nux picked up the woven box, the one Toast had given him. A token.

 _Give her space. A grand gesture._

He agonized over the advice, paralyzed by indecision. Nux glanced at the bag, and a terrifying realization occurred to him. _It's not just going to be just be a few days. This is the end. I'm going to lose her._ Nux's chest tore. _No! I can't let that happen._ The fuel in his veins suddenly grow hot. If he couldn't ride, he sure as hell wasn't going to lose her too, dammit!

 _A grand gesture._

Capable walked past him. He needed to show her how he felt. If he didn't, she was lost. _This is it._

Nux grabbed her arm and pulled her in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her hips, box still in hand, and brought her near until she was pressed tightly to his form. She stumbled into his grasp, unrelenting, and ended up prone against his bare chest, her arms reflexively coming up between them.

Placing his hand on her neck, he brought his head down and quickly pressed his lips to hers.

Rough. Clumsy.

Her warm lips were pressed against his for only a moment. She pushed him out of her arms and he felt the sting of her palm against his face.

"Nux!" she cried, "What the hell!" her face grew red, and her chest began to rise and fall, faster, panting.

Seeing the horror in her face, Nux froze. An overwhelming, sickening regret crept into his bones.

"What the hell!" she repeated. "Just… _no!_ " She yelled, then turned around, grabbed her bag, and stormed out into the hallway.

All Nux could do was mumble apologies to her shadow.

 _Shit, shit shit!_

 _You idiot, what were you thinking!_ Nux stared at the door, squeezed his fists, and placed his tense arms over his head, his rib injury screaming. _What the actual FUCK._ He paced the room without crutches, ignoring the searing pain in his calf. _You goddamn idiot!_ He stumbled, landing hard into the door frame of the hot springs room. Nux cried out, then slammed his fist into the wall, causing more loose pieces of granite to crumble to the floor, which he kicked and stomped to dust. His ribs trembled, his face stung, and his hand dripped crimson on the floor, but Nux let it hurt. He deserve to hurt.

Nux looked down to his blood-stained hand still holding the woven box. Nux limped back to the balcony, leaned over, and watched the delicate clutch of white apple blossoms spill into the wind over the Citadel below.


	10. Chapter 10

*** Content Note:* Some references to miscarriages, birth defects, and PTSD-like symptoms.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TEN: Capable.**

The sun had yet to bring in the dawn when Capable woke in her own room. She cracked her puffy eyes open in the dark and shivered from the cool Westerly breeze. Dragging her stiff body off the makeshift couch, Capable took special care not to make the car seat springs squeak. While she had tried to sleep in the Vault after Nux's forceful kiss, the room became too unbearable and so she had reluctantly snuck back during the night.

With delicate, bare-footed steps, Capable made her way to the hot springs room. While she didn't want to look at Nux, since her blood still seethed, her eyes were drawn to the sleeping War Boy. She could just see his pale back, which moved with the long, drawn breaths of a deep sleep. Distracted by watching Nux, Capable slipped on some water at the room's entrance and jarred her bad ankle. Fortunately, she managed to cover her face before spilling profanities and waking him.  
Crawling into the large stone basin, Capable turned the faucet until scalding and collapsed to the ground. She let the water strike her bare form, enjoying its sting. If Nux woke, hopefully he would think it was Toast in here. Her stomach churned from hunger and nerves. Rations would be in the next few hours, and this would be the third meal in a row she would be missing. Lying here, burning, she couldn't stop replaying Nux's intrusive kiss. Even in the heat, a chill shot through her with the image of him wrenching her body to him, startling her. It was so sharp, hard, reminding her of the roughness of the men she had been trying to forget. _Why did he do that?_

Once the water began to prune her fingers, she dragged her reddened body from the bath and got dressed. Holding her breath as she peered around the doorframe that was missing a chunk of granite, Capable was relieved to find Nux still fast asleep.  
Capable headed over to the dresser to grab her satchel, but noticed a small woven box sitting on the top. She turned it over in her hands and found it to be empty. _Strange._ Next to the box was the little seagull pendant that had been Splendid's. Her heart constricted; she had completely forgotten about taking this. Ignoring a rustle behind her, Capable picked up the small metal bird with a porcelain face and traced her finger along its smooth surface.

 _"Hey little bird, don't fly away on me, ok?" Splendid called cheerily as Capable leaned her dead weight against the glass in the Vault. Funny how Splendid had a way of reading her mind. Capable's gaze never left the expanse of the Wasteland, eyes red and swollen, terror and grief gripping her chest. It had been an entire day since she had lost her third one. Capable repeated the girl's name under her breath, over and over._

 _Splendid came to stand beside her, grasped her hand, and squeezed. "Just hang in a little longer. We'll get you out of here before anything happens. You'll be flying when we get to the Green Place. I promise."_

Capable shook away the piercing memory and placed the bird down when a rustle of sheets came again. Her eyes darted to the bed, where Nux was beginning to stir. Her breath hitched. _Did he see her?_ Without exhaling, Capable rushed through the door and gently pulled it closed behind her.

~o~

Capable made her way to the Vault for yet another tedious day fulfilling Furiosa's order. On the way, she saw a group of War Boys chatting in the narrow hallway. They fell silent as she passed, their gazes cold and indifferent. Capable's eyes darted to the floor scattered with leaf litter. _Did they say cruel things about me too?_ Even in her wake, she could feel their eyes crawling along her exposed neck. Capable rubbed her spine, where the skin was tight and rough from her branding. She despised this scar, a permanent reminder of her horrid past.

The Vault was exactly as she left it. However, it was clear that she had made quite a bit of progress in the last few days, as there was now only one storage room left to inventory. After so many days of her foot traffic, the angry writing on the ground had been reduced to 'our babies' and 'warlords'. As she began to dig through the mess, everything she touched stirred uncomfortable memories, from the discarded clothes to sad journals of long lost wives. Memories that she wanted to send out into the Wasteland to erode away. _To spoil. Ruin._

At one point she discovered Miss Giddy's tattooing kit, a rudimentary set of blades and ink that she used to record history over every patch of her ancient skin. Even Capable's name could be found on Miss Giddy somewhere. Capable grimaced and stored the box away. Why anyone would want to be reminded of all that every waking day she would never understand. Not for me, _thankyouverymuch._

Over the course of the morning, the last of the words in the dirt had been kicked away to nothing. After dragging a heavy wardrobe, Capable made to lift a box of kitchenware, but all the energy was suddenly sucked from her limbs when their corrosive words forced their way into her skull again.

 _"He can have that slag."_

Capable shook her head to refocus on lifting the box.

 _"She's spoiled goods, anyway. Ruined. Bitch can't even get a litter."_

"Stop it!" She yelled, letting the box drop with a loud clanking of dishes.

 _"Missing half its brain."_

Capable crumpled against the wall. She rubbed her face, her arms, but her skin felt contaminated, spoiled. Just like it did after Nux grabbed her. Thinking about it again made her jaw clench, but it also brought a wave of something worse. _Shame._ Her stomach churned, chewing itself, ready to make her ill on the floor of the storage room. How had he not been not repulsed by touching her? Capable shook her head but the toxic feeling in her gut remained. The more he knew about her, the more disgusted he would be. _He can never know._

Picking up a bag of fan belts, her mind reeled in that kiss. _Why did he do that?_ She tossed the bag aside, groaning. Of course she already knew the answer, but didn't want to admit it. He was confused. Confused why she was pulling away. He maybe even have thought it was all his fault. The guilt stung deep. An image flashed of his face while at his Deluxe, flush with disappointment. She hadn't meant to be distant with him. It was _necessary_ to push him away, just for a little while. Was it too much to ask to have some space to cry?

She finally dragged the box out and began sorting the plates roughly, accidentally cracking two in the process. "Ugh!" she groaned and kicked the box away. A thin layer of sand clung to her skin and hair as she picked herself up. It worked into her lungs, corroding each breath. She felt filthy, both inside and out, and already wanted another shower. However, she knew that it would do little to clean her of the decay that had begun the moment she was forced to become a Breeder. For every baby she lost, she rotted a little more. It surprised her that Nux would even want to kiss her at all, knowing what he knew of her already. Capable began to vigorously shake out her scarf and watched the sand dance in the scattered rays of sun. _If he ever found out the rest, he would never want to touch me again..._ Capable's neck prickled with a sudden fear. But what if he _does_ find out? What if Toast or The Dag tell him? _It's inevitable, The Dag with her big mouth._ Capable wrung her scarf tight until it ripped. She would have to warn them before it happens. He _can't_ know. A miserable idea popped into her mind. _Maybe if I stay away long enough, he'll get impatient and be done with me._ Her heart tore at the thought, but it would be easier to bear than watching the repulsion on Nux's face and feeling his rejection when he found out who she _really_ was. Her chest constricted. She would do whatever she could so that it wouldn't have to come to that.

Capable dusted herself off and looked around again. There were also a few books mixed with the plates, and one of them caught her eye. It was a small dog-eared paperback with the words "The Waste Land" in bold across the front. An Old World poem. She opened the small book and flipped to a random page.

 _There is not even silence in the mountains  
But dry sterile thunder without rain  
There is not even solitude in the mountains  
But red sullen faces sneer and snarl..._

She flipped again.

 _Your shadow at morning striding behind you  
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;  
I WILL SHOW YOU FEAR IN A HANDFUL OF DUST._

"Ugh!" she threw the book down, repulsed by how it resonated truth. Her shadow, her history, would never leave her alone. She had bid it goodbye on the wind to wear away in the Wasteland, but somehow it kept following her with whispers of lost babies and skin contaminated by a red snarling face. "Just leave me alone!" she cried out to the unkempt room, her voice slamming the walls of the lonely Vault. She dropped to her knees, keeled over, and sobbed into the dust.

~o~

After taking a few minutes to calm down, Capable was able to continue with the busy work. At one point she tried putting on a record, but it just made her sad, so she lifted away the needle and worked in silence.  
Today was less exciting than others with mostly hotplates, broken fridge parts, and furniture to sort, but the busywork helped keep her mind from mulling...mostly. At one point she grabbed a bag from the back and a leather toolkit fell to the ground, spilling its contents across the floor. Groaning, Capable began to gather them when she picked up a peculiar looking ratchet with its handle missing. She had seen one just like this before.

 _Roads sorted through a bag of ransacked goods from an old farmhouse. The owners were found dead last week after some skirmish with raiders. "What a shame, poor buggers. They should have known not to fight it," he said. Capable kept a few feet away, nervously eying their prize: a box of household tools missing handles, an empty oil lamp, and a small, shriveled bag of dried meat._

 _"It's ok, it's safe. Here," he urged, reaching out a hand. "It lasts ages. Who knows," he smirked, "maybe this time it's a real cow!" She smiled as she cautiously bit into the jerky. They must have hidden it really well for years, probably buried it deep underground, since there was sand mixed into it._

 _Chew, crunch, chew._

Capable turned the ratchet over in her hands and soaked in the memory. That was her old life, and didn't belong anywhere here. Or did it? With an electrifying jolt, she was struck by a sudden realization.

 _I can leave._

The ratchet dropped from her hand and landed with a clunk. She didn't notice.

 _I could go home. I could find them all again. Home.  
Maybe when Nux is well enough, we can leave this godsforsaken place and begin a new life! _A place with no history. She and Nux could concoct a long story about getting lost in the desert for years, living off the earth, with no mention of a Vault or a tyrannical warlord. She might have to convince him to grow his hair to hide any War Boy association, though.

 _I've spent eight years in this hell. Why spend any more?_

As soon as the thrill entered, she shoved away the thought. Who knew where home even was. Or _if_ it even was. Part of her was terrified what would be waiting for her (or rather, what wouldn't be) if she returned. A lot can happen in eight years. And even if they _were_ alive, how the hell would she even get there?

"Don't be stupid," she chided herself, frowning, "this is your home."

After gathering the rest of the tools, Capable leaned to pick up another box of plates when footsteps echoed through the tunnel. The hair on her scarred neck stood up. _Great, that's probably Nux_. While trying to hold onto the anger at that innocent War Boy was like grasping sand, she couldn't be near him now. She turned, dreading the growing shadow.

Toast.

Capable quickly wiped her face on her sleeve while Toast's eyes buzzed around, taking in the disaster of a room. "Wow. You definitely have your work cut out for you."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Toast picked up a small mirror on the ground and played with it. "Wanna come for food?"

Capable kneeled down and went back to stacking the dishes. "Not today."

"Are you sure?" Toast walked over and nudged her in the back. "I haven't seen you down there in ages. Aren't you hungry?"

Gesturing to a pile of canned goods, Capable shrugged. "I have some military rations."

"Gross," Toast frowned. "Okay, if that's what you want...You're just spoiled goods, anyway."

" _What?_ " Capable spun to face her, wide-eyed.

Toast stared back strangely. "Huh? I said we're just spoiled for food now, anyway." Squinting, Toast added, "Are you feeling okay?"

Capable turned back to the pile of plates, scowling. _Lift, stack, lift, stack._ "I told you, I'm fine."

"You're not fine." Toast threw her arms up in resignation, groaning, "C'mon cheer up, Cape! The world hasn't ended again."

Capable pursed her lips but kept silent. _Lift, stack._

From the corner of her eye, Capable saw Toast's shoulders slump. "All that stuff in the yard, it's not a big deal. I don't see why you have to be so mopey. We'll make it fun! We can sneak into the junk lot, even." Her eyes brightened. "Hey! I bet Nux would like that too."

Capable stared through the glass dome and brushed an annoying tear from her eye. She hoped that Toast hadn't noticed, but she must have since her friend's composure immediately softened. She sensed Toast approach and felt fingers stroke the back of her head.

"Hey I was just teasing...This isn't about the yard, is it?"

After a few more plates were stacked, Capable shook her head.

Toast crouched down to her level. Capable glanced away, but Toast nudged her chin so that she was looking directly into her eyes. "Is everything...okay?" she whispered.

"No," Capable croaked, her voice wavering.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Okay." Toast wrapped her arms around her. Capable leaned into her tight embrace, resting her head on Toast's shoulder. Toast swallowed, her voice cracking. "We're here for you, you know that, right?"

"Mhm." Capable mumbled.

Toast released Capable but kept one arm on her back. "I won't ask you about it again, but I'm going to keep bugging you to eat. I know you have things to work out, but you've never spend this much time alone in a decade, so it can't be good for you. Come spend time with us, okay? The girls and I are meeting in The Dag's room after rations. Think you can join us, just this once?"

Closing her eyes, Capable nodded.

~o~

Later that afternoon, once the Vault grew too suffocating, Capable dragged herself out of the tunnel and began her journey to The Dag's room. While her ankle still ached, it was a distant concern amongst all the other crowding thoughts. As she turned left towards the north side of the monolith, the sound of hysterical laughter spilled throughout the hall. Ahead of her, a handful of War Pups were running up and down the paths that dissected the hanging gardens. _They better keep those little hands off the vegetables,_ she thought. That would get one stripped of many privileges...or worse. The Pups giggled and chased each other under the greenery, oblivious to her approach. The sound cut deep in Capable's gut. If her first had survived, he would probably be that age now. Capable tried to avert her eyes, but as she passed one Pup smirking and hiding behind a water pump, she did a double take. It was a War Pup... _girl._ Capable stopped and stared while her brain rewired itself to accommodate this new reality. There was no doubt this was Furiosa's doing. _It really is a New World_ , Capable thought, her heart swelling with something oddly like hope.

The Pups ran past her down the hall in the direction of her own room, so Capable hurried onward with her head down. She turned a corner through more hanging gardens and was hit full force by another body. Jumping back, Capable threw her arms up in defence, while her bag flung the other way. However, she relaxed at the sight before her. "Max!"

He appeared equally startled, staring at her with wide eyes. Max's presence always seemed to sooth something in her, and Capable's last sad thoughts began to drift away. Maybe because he looked a bit like...  
"What are you doing up here?" She asked, leaning to pick up her bag beside him. Max subtlety retracted his hand behind his back, but she noticed. "Wait...what _are_ you doing?"

"Nothin'."

Capable tried to peek behind him, but he just turned and began walking away. Capable narrowed her eyes. "You're up to something..."

Something in his hands caught her attention. He shoved it into a satchel, but part of it stuck out. It was green. Leafy.

She gaped. "Are you...stealing plants? Are you _seriously_ stealing plants?"

"No." Max made his way past her, back from where she came.

She ran along beside him on her sore foot. "You are!" Her lips drew into a wide grin, her first in days. "Gods you're weird."

He tossed the bag over his back, out of sight, and marched on.

"Ohhh I'm totally gonna report you," she laughed while trailing beside him. "Hmm...what will Furiosa say when she finds out? Wait... _Does_ she know?"

"No, and you won't tell her."

Max sped up, so Capable ran ahead and jumped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. "Hold on!" Capable couldn't stop grinning. "Can I help?"

Max studied her for a moment. "...Sure."

The two worked in satisfying silence to gather an assortment of onions, peppers, lettuce, and other vegetables and herbs. Stretching up to her full height to reach the higher specimens, Capable stared in awe at the expanse of green towering above them. After twisting off a stubborn tomato, she pressed her face into the fuzzy vines and inhaled deeply, savouring their crisp scent. A whole field covered in that wonderful smell must have been heavenly. _Did the Old World know what glory they had?_ The sensation of greenery between her fingers replaced all thoughts of angry men and lost babies, and soon she was humming to herself as they worked. While reaching to pick a bean, Capable finally broke the silence.

"So why would Mr. Rockatansky need a bunch of herbs, and what's that..." she spied a thick, green and white stalk with layered leaves in his hand. "...A leek? How do _you_ know what a leek is?"

Max muttered some profanity and pulled a squash down from a high basket.

"So why do you need these?"

"Making something."

"Making something...as in...cooking?" Capable snorted. "I'd drink guzzoline to see you cook. Why this sudden interest?"

No answer.

"C'mon, you can tell me."

With Max's silence, she pondered. As she handed him her last tomato, it struck her. "Aww! Is it for –"

At that moment Toast came running up, cutting her off. "Hey Cape! Coming to see us now?" Toast then spotted Max, who had been obscured by a wall of green. "Oh, hi Max. You know Joe cut off the hands of people who ate from his garden, right?"

Toast gestured for Capable to follow her. "Okay," Capable responded, then smiled softly at Max. "Got everything?"

Max tilted his head in confirmation, so Capable bid him farewell and followed Toast down the narrow walkway to The Dag's room. Her rough morning already seemed eons away.

~o~

"Just...be careful!" came The Dag's lofty voice as the two approached her room. When Capable entered, her eyes sprang wide. Every single flat surface where the light touched was occupied by a skull, carcass, or pot.

Cheedo was sitting next to The Dag on her bed, holding a small dingo skull containing the single green sprout. She peered at it closely, admiringly, and gently stroked a tiny leaf.

"What kind is it?" She asked.

"A Boab tree," The Dag beamed. "I read up on 'em...Really special."

"Do you eat it?"

"You can, I think. They can also store water and be used for medicine. Found some great books the other day. They used to grow in the desert, and get massive!"

"Do you think it will grow in the poisoned earth?"

The Dag shrugged. "When I plant it, we'll find out."

Toast grabbed a seat, so Capable tried to follow suit. However, finding a clear space was more difficult than expected. Eventually she lifted a camel skull off of a sofa and sat down. Without the grotesque taxidermy-like décor, the room would have almost been elegant. It was larger than her own, and had actual furniture, not just granite platforms and broken car seats as couches. The room smelled...earthy, if she was being polite. Capable admired every strange skull and pot and smiled. That old Vuvalini, The Keeper of the Seeds, would have been proud.

Toast was also taking in the room. "Wow, I _really_ like what you've done with the place," she chimed, sardonically.

"Oh, shut it." The Dag sighed, "I've seen _your_ room. So bullets, dirty clothes, and oil rags tossed on the ground is the new style, hmm?"

Cheedo laughed, handing The Dag back the little plant. The Dag got up, and with the most delicate motion Capable had ever seen of her, tenderly placed the skull back in its rightful spot on the window ledge. The Dag peered over the sill, where the hum of vehicles grew louder. "Look! They're racing again in the junk lot. That looks like such fun," The Dag sighed dreamily. "Why can't we be out there now? Oh right. _You_ two." she groaned, turning to glare at Toast and Capable.

"Three!" Toast corrected, shifting uncomfortably. Capable chewed her lip, trying to ignore a sudden spasm of guilt.

The Dag glanced at Capable. "So where's your Boy right now? Thought he would be surgically attached to your hip today by the way he was yammering on about cheering you up yesterday. Did he surprise you with something big?"

Capable looked up to The Dag, wide-eyed.

Cheedo grinned at her. "Aw, really?"

"Toast thought it was sweet," The Dag continued, "I think he's just trying to find a way into your bed."

"Isn't he already in your bed?" Cheedo giggled.

The women kept on with comments about her and Nux, and Capable wanted to crawl into a crevice. Just when things were getting better, they had to bring it all flooding back. Crossing her arms, she stared at the window and clenched her teeth to zone out their words. She was tempted to get up and leave, run to her room and jump back into the shower. Her other half wanted to tell them the stupid thing Nux had done, what the men had said, and make them feel as shitty as she did. Instead, she just kept quiet, her heart crying.

Toast looked over to her and grinned, but Capable just returned a scowl. Noticing her discomfort, Toast piped, "Ok guys, that's enough. I know you all have a perverted obsession with War Boys, seeing as none of you can get anything, but let's get our minds out of there. Anyways...you'll never guess what Cape and I saw Max doing!"

"Talking?" The Dag grinned.

"Haha! No. Stealing from the hanging gardens."

"Really? Doesn't seem like the vegetable type." Cheedo chirped.

The Dag looked puzzled. "Doesn't he get enough at rations? He's not exactly a big guy."

Toast turned to Capable. "Did he say what in the Wasteland he was up to?"

"No, but I think..." Capable began, trying to find her voice again, "I think it was for Furiosa."

"Aw how darling." The Dag sang, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"But that seems like a big step for him. Is Furiosa okay?" Cheedo asked.

The Dag rolled her eyes. "Is she ever?"

"She seemed fine last night," Cheedo scowled, perplexed. "Her speech was fantastic."

"Yeah, until it was cut off by a raid," Toast added. "I'm sure that didn't help her stress level. I guess Max is just trying to make things easier. Have you looked at her lately? She's a mess. I've been so caught up with the Milk Mothers, I didn't really notice."

The women fell silent. By their forlorn faces, it was clear to Capable that they were also contemplating how much they had been wrapped up in themselves since returning. A sickening ache of guilt washed over her again. She swallowed. Furiosa was the only reason she was sitting in this room...yet thinking of Furiosa now only brought anger and shame.

"We need to help her," Toast stated, breaking the silence.

"Sure, but how? We're already doing everything she asked of us," The Dag groaned. "We're trying to better this shithole."

"But what we're doing isn't to help _her._ It's to help the Citadel."

"Isn't that the same?" Cheedo asked. "I mean, she wanted us to be free more than anything, and we are."

Toast shook her head. "It's not the same at all."

"Fine, then what?" The Dag groaned, dropping herself on the bed in a heap.

Capable sat for a moment, lips pursed, until it struck her. _It's so obvious, why hadn't we thought of it before?_ "We thank her."

"What? How?"

Toast nodded vigorously. "Exactly, Cape! Like what Max is doing. Help her out in little ways to pay back some of our debts to her. And we can even do what Old World people did." Toast grinned. "Celebrate!"

The other women stared at her as if she had just mutated.

"Celebrate." The Dag repeated, sounding skeptical.

"Yes! Let's make her forget she's ruling a city and an army for a short while. A special dinner or something. Not shit rations."

Cheedo tapped the side table, her face contemplative, then perked up. "Yes! I can cook something!"

Meanwhile, The Dag appeared unconvinced. "I don't think Furiosa would want us wasting resources on her."

"It wouldn't be a waste!" Toast urged. "That woman needs a break. Even if it's a day just for her to sleep. And it's not even a question. We need to show her thanks for _this._ " She gestured around at the grinning skulls.

The Dag betrayed a smirk. "Well alright, if we _have_ to pay our debts."

Capable sat quiet as the women grew excited discussing what they should do. She smiled from time to time, offered the occasional comment, and found comfort in the distraction from her own stormy thoughts.

~o~

Capable and Toast made their way up the stairs together after evening rations. In spite of Capable's assurances that she would eat, Toast practically had to drag her down and supervise every mouthful. As she took another step, her ankle twisted awkwardly again. "Argh!" she cried out.

Toast groaned. "Go see Ruin already!"

"It's fine," Capable winced, "I think she had bigger things to deal with."

"What if it's broken?"

"I don't think I'd be able to walk."

"Ok, fractured then. That was at the yard, yeah? It should be healing by now."

Capable sat down and untied a piece of cheesecloth that she had wrapped around it, cringing at the change in pressure. To her disappointment, her foot was still just as swollen and blue. All she needed was a broken ankle. "Great."

"Don't' worry, there's a plus," Toast smiled. "If it's broken, then you and Nux could be brace buddies."

Capable rolled her eyes. "You know the worst thing about the Wasteland?"

"Breaking bones?"

"No."

"The sand that gets in everything?"

"No. The limited selection for friends."

"Whatever you say, I know you love me," Toast smirked and shoved Capable over.

~o~

Capable reluctantly took Toast's advice and headed down to the medical bay. Ruin most definitely had better things to deal with than a twisted ankle, so Capable made sure to stop by Vault to grab a bag of syringes, hypodermic needles, and scalpel blades that she had dug up the other day.

It didn't take her as long as she expected to reach the familiar room. Capable pushed through the swinging door and nearly stumbled back from the sight. Nux was lying flat on a table, while Ruin and a nurse forced compressions into his purple chest. The blood in her veins turned to ice as she stumbled forward, and her hands jumped up to her mouth. However, in a second she realized it wasn't Nux. It was some poor nameless War Boy.  
Before she could feel embarrassed by her mistake, Ruin saw her standing frozen, and with desperate eyes, cried, "Grab the BVM!"  
Knowing exactly what she wanted, Capable ran over to the shelf where the breathing mask would be.

"Crush injury," Ruin stated as Capable handed over the device. Ruin shoved a bottle in her hand. "Hold this!"

Before Capable could process it all, she was at Ruin and the nurse's calling. It was exactly like her night here two moons ago, when another War Boy's life balanced on the edge of the void. And just like before, she leapt on the task with unbridled determination. The hospital fumes wafted in déjà vu, but she forced the eerie memories away so that her sole thoughts were on keeping this Boy alive. Just like before, every single step became rote. However, unlike last time, this Boy was not so lucky.

After what must have been an hour, Ruin pulled off her gloves and signalled to the nurse to stop mid-compression. Capable looked up from adjusting an IV, and Ruin shook her head.  
By the time it was over, Capable was aching, panting, and her clothes speckled in a stranger's blood. For a few moments they all stood in silence, fixating on the stillness of the Boy's chest. Capable finally had a chance to have her first real look at him. His entire right side was dark violet from where the car had fallen. He was younger than Nux, and fuller set, but she still couldn't shake the image of seeing Nux here.

Four War Boys, possibly his friends, stood around the doorway. "Witness!" one yelled with forced enthusiasm. "Witness," another whispered, while the other two stared on with solemn expressions. Capable stared back, struck by their melancholy. Her heart grew tight. Those weren't the War Boys she had known, ready to die hard and chrome. Maybe more was changing in her world then she realized.

Capable looked again at the poor Boy's face. He didn't have any obvious tumors. His Half-Life was just beginning. She was too numb of her own to feel sad for him. There was also an intrusive sense of relief that it wasn't Nux, but she shoved that feeling away. One thought was itching her, though. _Did he have a rig? Is it free to take apart now?_  
She touched his hand, then moved back to detaching the IV.

~o~

Once the War Boys had carried him off, and the space had been cleaned of blood and medical waste, Ruin hobbled over to her with her cane. "You okay, sweetie?"

Capable leaned against the sink. "Yeah. Strangely, yeah." Her heart was still racing, which she assumed was from the emotional toil of seeing someone die. She didn't want to admit to herself that it also felt a little like excitement. "That poor guy."

"I know, but I don't think he felt much. Sorry you had to see that."

Capable shook her head. "It's okay. That's not the first time I've seen someone go that way." Ruin gave her a look of surprise, so she added, "I lived on a farm. Tractors." That was all Ruin needed to know, and Capable knew she wouldn't ask any more of it.

Ruin nodded. "Not too gruesome?"

Capable shook her head. Men would often come around the farm with their hands chewed by combines or worse. Seeing Nux ill and broken, that was different though. When he was having his chest pumped, she had felt her own ribs cracking.

Ruin then did something unexpected. She smiled and took both of Capable's hands in hers. "Sweetie, I have an idea...it's okay if you say no. But how would you feel about helping me out around here? I could really use it."

"Wow." Capable's mind grew dizzy, spinning with feelings long forgotten. "Um...Yeah."

Ruin let go of her hands, and smiled. "Super! Did you know I was out with the convoy the other day? Those Boys are all energy. I don't know how you're gonna keep up with your _own_ when he's better!" Capable blushed, while Ruin continued, lips pursed. "I _really_ need someone out with the convoys more often, but the other nurse Mothers just aren't mobile enough. War Boys we could train, but they don't really understand why we bother with pain management. You would be perfect."

"Thank you, Ruin," Capable stuttered, "that all sounds amazing, but...the thing is, I have to work in the Vault. Furiosa's orders."

Ruin shook her head. "Well that won't be forever, and we can train you to be a medic when you have free time."

Capable's stomach churned with doubt. _Her? A medic?_ "I'm a mess, though," she choked, "I don't know if I'd be the right person for it. Toast is stronger for that sort of thing." The words came out even though she despised every single one.

Ruin began gathering the used medical tools and placed them in a bin for sterilization. "Clearly you can handle the pressure." She paused, then looked up to Capable's grave face. "Sweetie, I know you've seen a lot of pain in your life. I can see it follows you. Most people would just go numb from it, but you feel it. You _feel_ hard, especially for others. You might think that weakens you, but feeling too much isn't weakness. It's strength. Armor. It lets you see what others don't."

Capable looked at her, the back of her throat growing tight, words unable to manifest.

Ruin sighed, and smiled. "So what do you think?"

Nodding slowly, then vigorously, Capable muttered, "Yeah. Yeah I think I'd like that."

"Great!" Ruin walked over to the shelf at the back of the room, and came back to place a large book in Capable's hands. "Here, Sweetie. This is a good place to start."

Capable read it under her breath. " _Anatomy and Physiology for Emergency Care._ "

Capable thanked Ruin and left the medical bay with a book tucked under her arm and lovely new thoughts. _Training to be a medic_. Her mind was spinning, heart fluttering, and for the first time in days the gravity of the Citadel was not pressing down on her. She skipped along the hall, and it never occurred to her that she had forgotten to ask about her ankle.

~o~

It was late into the evening when Capable returned to the Vault. Feeling oddly motivated, Capable got back to work at a good pace. After a few hours, she glanced out and saw some Boys working in the dark, perhaps where that one had been mortally injured. _Did I ever look down on Nux in the yard?_ Remembering that Boy who looked so much like him, she was eager to see Nux's face again, anger or not. A chill, not from the wind, rushed through her. It was as if she had nearly lost hi m twice.

Capable picked up her new book and made for the door. She knew there was something she needed to do.

~o~

It was black outside, and she didn't pass a single soul on her way back to the room. The door was ajar, so she pushed her way inside and crept through the darkness on bare feet. Nux was lying on the bed with his bare back to her, the curvature of his shoulder blades illuminated by moonlight. Even in the dim glow, she could see his that body had grown fuller, finding life again. His muscle tone seemed to be returning, now that there were fewer bones pressing out where muscle should be. The bruises that had speckled his form were long gone, save for those hidden under the bandage where his ribs had broken through skin. His body was thriving, healing. A warmth washed over her at this sight, followed by stinging guilt. He was just a sick Boy. He didn't deserve her hurt on top of his own.

Up closer, Capable could see that he was fast asleep. She took a deep breath and crawled in bed next to him, carefully stroking his bare shoulder. No reaction, so she pressed a little harder. "Nux?" her voice caught in her throat.

Nux stirred, opening his eyes. "Mhm," he groaned and rolled onto his back, but after another moment it was clear he had drifted off again.

Capable coaxed him further, and it seemed he finally noticed her presence when he scrambled to sit up, nearly toppling out of the bed. He stared at her, frozen. "Cape –" His chest rose in hitched breaths, mouth slightly ajar, while one of his fists clenched a handful of bedsheets.

"It's alright," she whispered, "I'm not angry anymore. I've already forgotten yesterday."

Some tension left his shoulders, but he remained silent, staring. She lay herself down next to him, placing her head on his pillow. After a moment of hesitation, Nux followed suit. His eyes reflected starlight and worry, hurt. Their bodies were mere inches away, but not touching. They had been in this exact position before, under a VW turret.

"Do you think..." Capable began, but her throat immediately dried up with nerves. Sensing her resolve beginning to slip away, Capable forced it out. "Nux, do you think I'm...ruined? Am I spoiled goods?"

He readjusted his position and propped his head up with his wrist, blinking at her. "What?"

"A War Boy called me that the other day, and he's right. Everyone here thinks it. I'm just a Breeder...A bitch, making litters." The beginning of tears began to swell behind her eyes, unexpected.

"Stop it! Don't talk like that."

"But it's true, isn't it?" She swallowed, trying to grasp onto the last threads of her resolve, but they slipped through her fingers when the first tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm just Joe's used up Breeder, and I couldn't even do _that_ right!"

Nux shook his head. "No...No Cape, that's not true at all. And forget him. _Fuck_ him!" Nux paused, clearly taking aback by what he had just said of his old god. "Yeah, fuck him. You're so much more than that."

"Really?" Capable's chest fluttered at his comforting words, and gazed back into his sincere, tired eyes. After a moment, she continued. "There's something else I need to tell you though. And...I'll understand if you don't want to...be with me anymore...after..." She took a deep breath, but her voice got stuck in her throat. In place of the words, a sudden swell flooded her lungs and poured out as violent sobs. Her pain shook the bed, filled their dark room, and spilled into the empty air over the Citadel.

"Hey, hey it's okay, don't..." Nux cooed, but the swells had since grown into a storm and refused to stop as much as Capable tried. It wasn't until she felt a soft touch grace her shoulder that she was able to come up for air.

Capable drew a few deep breaths to calm herself, wiping her face with her shirt. Soon only hitched inhales and a few tears trailing down her reddened cheeks remained. "Sorry."

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me if it's too hard." Nux whispered, stroking her shoulder and back.

Capable stared silent as she contemplated this enticing offer. He was actually okay with not knowing, just as she wanted. She could bury it in the desert and they could never speak of it again. However, a nagging ache implored otherwise. "No...no it's okay, I think I need to get it out." Biting her lip, she stammered. "Do you...do you know why I was so desperate to escape with Furiosa? Why I was the first after Splendid to jump on the plan to flee?" Nux shook his head, silent. Capable swallowed. "Nux...I think Joe was going to kill me."

Nux stared, wide-eyed. He pulled his hand from her back.

"It had been years and I couldn't give him heirs. Surviving ones, at least. Three strikes, that's it. What good's a Breeder who can't breed?" She cried, and saw Nux's face contort like it did when he was nauseous...probably from having just touched her. The place where his hand had been felt suddenly cold. She added, whimpering, "I'm just some used up whore. Disgusting, just some –"

Shaking his head vigorously, Nux cut in. "No! Don't say that. Not like you had a choice."

Capable nodded, then pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around herself. "But the grossest part...there were times I desperately tried to do anything to get him to want me. I was so scared, not knowing how he'd have me killed, or when. Pathetic, right?"

"You were jus' trying to survive."

To her surprise, Nux shifted his arm to place his hand on hers. Capable felt some of the constriction in her chest release with his words and touch, but her heart still raced. "There's something else too. Did...did I ever tell you that I spent two weeks in the medical bay? Twice?" Nux shook his head, and Capable drew a deep breath. "A miscarriage. Then the second one...he was missing half his brain. He lasted two days. My last one, she died right after I had her. And now I just feel so _goddamn_ guilty."

"Why, because you couldn't have his children?"

" _No!_ Gods no...Because part of me was glad they didn't live."

"What?" Nux gaped.

"I didn't want them to know our nightmare. My second one, he wouldn't have had a full life. And I didn't want my girl to live what we had to go through," she whispered. "Also...I just feel so guilty because I made them that way. This goddamn Wasteland. They _should_ have been healthy. It's my fault they had to suffer at all."

Nux stared in silence for a minute, before stating, "Maybe it wasn't you. Maybe it was Immort – Joe. Why blame yourself? Look at Corpus. And some the other sons. They're not whole."

Capable pursed her lips. "Oh. Maybe...I never really thought of that." She hadn't to be honest, as she was the one who was blamed for their short existence, again and again. This thought, and Nux's response so far, began to lift some of the weight bearing down on her.

Nux gently stroked her fingers as they lay in a silence under the moon's watch. He then looked at her with wide, soft eyes. "Capable. I'm just...sorry."

"Don't be."

A dark ring formed on the sheet under Capable's chin from where the tears pooled. "But even if I was Joe's...all those awful years...and if somehow their condition _was_ my fault..." Capable felt her chest tighten further, and tears began to flow again, heavier, thicker. She couldn't find the words. Part of her didn't want to find them, but they finally trickled out. "Would you ever want me? Like that?"

For a moment Nux just stared at her, at a loss of what to say. Then he snorted, "You're madder than Max."

"What?"

"Seriously, you're mental." He tilted his head, unblinking. "Absolutely insane."

"Stop it!" she smirked, wiping tears.

Nux's face suddenly grew serious, and he shifted his body so that he was lying fully sideways, his neck taught, revealing the spider-like stitches. "How could I _not_ want you? You're the most shine thing I've ever known."

"Really?"

"You're completely mental to think different. The bigger question is why you're here with me."

"Now _you're_ the one who's mad." Capable laughed through tears. Feeling her heart settle, Capable moved closer so that her head was resting over his arm. She closed her eyes, enjoying a few moments of calm.

Finally, Nux spoke. "So a War Boy said that thing to you? I'll kill him for you, if you want. Who was it?"

Capable shrugged, supressing a smile. "I dunno, a big one. You all look the same."

"Oh Thanks," Nux groaned.

"Excluding you, obviously."

"Are you sure you didn't just get me confused with someone else?"

"Of course not, Slit," she teased.

Nux laughed. "Well forget them. Half of 'em are cranked up on guzzoline. "

Nux lifted his hand from hers and held it in between them, hovering, hesitating, before reaching to stroke her cheek. Capable's spine tingled. This was second time he had been forward, but this was different. This time it was as if he had already known what she wanted. She closed her eyes and floated in his touch.

"You ok?" he asked at a whisper.

She opened her eyes and gave him a small smile. "I will be."

~o~

Capable hummed as she sorted more tools into piles. She had been alone in the Vault since noon, but that was only because Nux was off getting his treatment results. He promised he would join her when he was finished. Keeping herself busy here was the best way to distract herself from thinking about what those results could be. This afternoon was turning into a different hue from the day before. The wind still blew cold and strong, spinning tiny whirlwinds of dust in the empty basin that had once been her bath, but this time, it was actually refreshing.

Capable took a break from the piles of junk that didn't seem to get any smaller and leaned against the Vault glass, toying with the small porcelain bird now hanging around her neck. Gazing over the room, her mind went back to the emotional sandstorm of yesterday. Was Ruin right? Was she really stronger from it all? Was it worth remembering, even though it hurt? She leaned down to pick up a box of cookware and let her mind drift to Max, who might be roasting up some horrific meal at this moment for Furiosa. If only Capable could be more like him. Max didn't try to deny his history. He wore it as the scars on his body, through his odd demeanor and visions. Same with Furiosa. She bore it proudly as her metal half. Then there was Nux. Nux would never _not_ be the War Boy who had tried to give his life for others.

A rumble came from below in the yard, so she scrambled up and over solid chests and made her way across the room to the glass dome. If she stood on her toes, she could just make out the crushed tanker of the massive War Rig, the machine that rode her to freedom. A flutter returned with that word that had meant so much to her until the cruel men had drowned it out. _Of course_ she had freedom. Freedom to not only move in space, but freedom to move forward, and freedom to accept. That was a choice Joe could never take from her. Seeing the shell of the place where she first connected with Nux, she was overcome by a rush of something she thought was long lost.

Capable suddenly had an idea. Morbid, but it felt right. She strode over to the stairwell and pulled the small kit out from the drawer.

This was how Miss Giddy did it, having seen it hundreds of times. Capable lifted part of her shirt, exposing skin near her hipbone. After washing the area with some of alcohol, she opened up the kit and drew a fresh blade. Capable held the blade near her hip, but hesitated. The refreshing wind breathed in and out through cracks in the glass, and this seemed to help steady both her resolve and shaking hands. Finally, Capable brought the blade down to her belly that once bore three short lives and pressed in. It stung, but not as badly as she anticipated. Once the first wavy line was drawn, she dabbed some ink. With the utmost care, Capable cut, dabbed, cut, dabbed until three unique lines, representing their names that only _she_ had ever known, were complete. As she drew each line, she whispered their name out loud. The cuts stung briefly as she wiped away the excess ink, and she took care not to get any on her pale clothes. Once finished, she looked down to take in the new veins of her history crossing the corner of her womb. She wiped her wet eyes with her sleeve and smiled. It was ok to feel hard. Capable took a deep, long-deserved, savory exhale.

~o~

A few hours later, Capable decided to call it a night in the Vault. It was getting dark, yet Nux had yet to appear, to both her disappointment and annoyance. While she considered that he may have forgotten, he had been so keen about coming up to help again that his absence seemed odd. It was late now. Too late. _Where in the Wasteland was he?_

Capable headed back to their room and spent an hour or so reading her new medical book, waiting. Eventually her impatience grew too great so she decided to look for him instead, starting with their floor. As she headed to The Dag's room, she dragging her hand through the soft tomato vines and enjoyed the familiar aroma. When she was met by only empty rooms, she journeyed down to the medical wing for the second time in two days. Here the same pained faces greeted her, the same acrid scent, but no Nux. Upon hearing from one of the nurses that Nux had left hours earlier, a thick lump began to coalesce in her stomach.

This lump grew harder, acidic, as Capable limped down to the rations hall. She walked each row of Boys, immune to their curious and fixating stares, as her mind was solely preoccupied with finding Nux. She had no luck in the engine bay or Central Butte bunks either, to her growing frustration. At one point she ran into Toast and the other girls near the engine bay. They assured her that they hadn't seen him, and Capable grew flummoxed on where the hell he would get to. "He's probably just off playing with some old friends," Toast assured her.

"Or he got nicked by some Buzzards, "The Dag added, to Capable's annoyance.

For what felt like hours, Capable wandered around the Citadel, even checking the Vault again, racking her brain on where he could possibly be. _How far could a lame War Boy move?_ She even scoured the yard from up on her rock outcrop, which was mostly empty except for a few stray Wretcheds. Panting and red faced, anger soon began to mix with worry. _I bet Toast's right and he's off with his dumb friends. Even if that's not it, he knew I'd be waiting. Why the hell wouldn't he tell me? Unless something's really wrong...  
_ At the point of giving up, she had a sudden realization. _Could he be there? Of course!_

Capable backtracked towards the rations hall until she crossed the precarious bridge leading to the Western Butte. She rushed along the unfamiliar, slippery tunnel leading up to the bunks, trying to ignore the protests of her ankle. The lump was now releasing fumes of fear that singed her throat and mouth.  
 _He's too ill, too nervous, to be with the other Boys. This is the only place he could be. He HAS to be here._

She rushed down the tunnel and threw herself into the dark room. The lump in her gut instantly ignited, blistering her insides upon finding not Nux, but an empty garage. His Deluxe remained just as they had left it, a thin layer of dust covering its body.

 _I WILL SHOW YOU FEAR IN A HANDFUL OF DUST._

At the far wall, the massive garage door stood wide open to the red sky. The wind pulled and clanged hanging chains and hooks outside, screaming between the Buttes. Capable was overcome by sickening dread. _The results from his treatment cycle. What if something's wrong...Something terrible._

Her mind jumped back to the standoff in the yard, recalling the War Boys venomous glares at Furiosa and the vitriol towards Nux. _O my gods._ A horrifying realization took the air from her lungs. With his connection to Furiosa, Nux was just as much of a commodity as she was. _What if they want to use him to get back at Furiosa? Did the War Boys do something to him?_

She stumbled against the door, her heart racing as the fear pushed its way through every vein. _Nux, where are you?_


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN: Nux.**

 _"Get a move on, then!" Kane shouted._

 _"I will, stop rushing me!" Nux snapped, trying to ignore the growing crowd of War Boys in the yard behind him._

 _Bolt, a ratty looking black-thumb from Nux's year, crossed his arms and signalled to the other Boys to leave. "Told'ya he wouldn't."_

 _"Hold on, just let me figure out my first steps already." Nux placed his hands against the gritty surface and glanced upward, straining his dry throat. The massive monolith felt ready to collapse under his trembling fingertips._

 _"Scared?"_

 _Nux whipped his head back to glare at the group of men egging him on. He wasn't scared. He bit his scarred bottom lip. Apprehensive, yes, but not scared._

 _Why did I have to accept Bolt's stupid challenge? That's what you get for never keeping your mouth shut, Nux chided himself. Slit would have just punched Bolt's ugly mug, and that would have been the last of it. All this over a stupid car hood, Nux scowled. I was the one who dragged the part through Buzzard territory, and that measly Pup –um– Boy...Nux corrected himself, balking at his own use of the slur...had the gall to say it was his? Bullshit!  
Nux had confronted Bolt about the lie, who then challenged Nux to climb the butte, saying no War Boy that hadn't ridden in battle deserved such a shine part...or to call himself a War Boy. Even though Nux was betting on something that was rightfully his, he had no choice but to accept. To refuse would have been to lose face. Now that he was standing here, he didn't even want the damn part. However, to turn back now was not even a thought. If he did, he would lose every shred of respect from his brothers that was as critical to Nux's existence as oil and oxygen._

 _The heavens spun around in swirls of blue above him. His body began to sway, dizzy at the immensity of the mountain looming over him. He had seen others attempt the climb many times, but none had ever reached the garage. If they couldn't, how could he? Nux knew it was a fool's risk, and that today he likely would be entering the Gates, but his social standing was at greater stake than his life._

 _Nux shook out his wrists and prepared himself. He kicked his foot into a rock divot and leaned forward to begin the ascent, but found his body had completely froze._

 _"Oy Nux! We're waiting, yeah?"_

 _"Shut up, Slit! Give me a minute!"_

 _Slit dramatically glanced at his watchless wrist and grinned his stapled grin. "By the time you're done, my 'alf-Life will 'ave run out."_

 _Nux would have loved to have cut Slit a new smile right now. "Let's see you try!"_

 _Nux's closest friend and rival came up to stand beside him and casually leaned with one arm against the wall of the butte. Slit shoved Nux's shoulder. "Heh. I would be up 'alf way by now."_

 _"Maybe, but only after falling on your fat ass first," Nux snapped. Some War Boys laughed, while Slit spewed profanities and went back to join the others. Nux turned back to the wall. With a sharp exhale, a heave of muscle against stone, Nux was finally on his way up._

 _The first twenty feet of the monolith was a slow incline, allowing for a surprisingly easy ascent. With each step, Nux tested the foothold's strength before placing his full weight. A few rusted chains hung about on each side of him and brushed his back. While grabbing them would make his ascent faster, he had seen enough Boys fall off them to know better. Best to rely on the steady earth under his fingertips._

 _The granite rock face was smooth, but there were enough grooves, cracks, and divots carved by the elements to make the ascent possible. Peering far up, the open garage door near the top of the monolith was already much closer. Suddenly, his anxiety dissipated and he was overcome by flash of hot adrenaline. He just might actually dominate this mountain!_

 _Nux soon found a rhythm of the climb: kick, test, press, lift. His spry young body and endless stamina made this easy. From the countless hours working on rigs, to hiking across the Badlands, to staying up for days and getting chromed out of his mind before drag-racing around the salt flats...he didn't really know the word exhaustion. He had a craving mind, always wanting more, harder, faster, to satisfy this strange fever that could almost be quenched by riding...but not quite.  
Nux was in peak physical health...The only thing was that his neck had begun to smart recently where a small lump had formed. Must have pulled a muscle, he figured._

 _Nux pushed himself up onto an outcrop so that he could take a breather. The air was so clean and crisp up here that it stung his windpipe. From this vantage, the eastern canyon was just visible in the distance. Down in the yard, he spotted the unmistakable shine arm of the new Imperator. She appeared to be readying the War Rig for what some speculated was a new wife run for his blessed Immortan. One must be running out of gas, he thought. Speaking of women, his mind went back to that girl with a half ear from years ago, and he wondered whether she could be watching among the large crowd of Wretcheds below._

 _After another 20 minutes navigating around a particularly precarious section, Nux began to feel the strain. The afternoon sun broiled his back, sucking his energy, while sweat dripped into his eyes.  
By two thirds of the way up, Nux hands were throbbing to the point of becoming numb. They were used to gripping oily metal bars, not stone. He could do an hour hanging under a car, but this was something else. What was worse, his neck began to throb, so he tried to fixate on the opening above. Just 20 feet more, he told himself._

 _Glancing down again, the crowd below had become mere specks. The sight made his heart thunder against his ribcage. This is not fear, he lectured himself. This is my excitement to be so close to Valhalla. However, from then on, Nux refused to look down._

 _Nux placed his foot on a protruding rock, but in an instant the stone crumbled away, pulling Nux's feet with it. In shock he lost his grip, but just managed to catch a ledge before following the stone to the earth 80 feet below. Dangling in the air, Nux's pounding heart soon deafened out the hoots of War Boys beneath him. Desperately scraping his boots on the rock face for a foothold, his feet merely grazed the smooth surface. Only a handful of granite kept him from Valhalla._

 _Finding fuel he didn't know he had, Nux finally dug his boot into a narrow crack and pushed himself up, taking the strain off his upper body. He leaned forward with both arms on the ledge, gasping. Exhilarated and admittedly this time, terrified._

 _New cheers from the yard were only a numb buzz to the throbbing in his eardrums. The wind screamed, adding to the madness of this dizzying odyssey. Regardless, Nux drudged on._

 _~o~_

 _"C'mon, dammit!" Nux growled. After his near fall, each foot up was agonizing, and his fingertips left behind streaks of crimson on the mountain's skin. The wind, cruel and consuming, tried its best to pull him off the cliffside. Step, test, lift. Humbled and worn down, Nux now knew that he wasn't here to dominate the mountain. Rather, the mountain was testing him, to see his worth as a War Boy._

 _Nux reached over a ledge and touched a wide flat surface, but no wall. Suddenly, arms gripped his own and he was yanked upwards. The wide open garage, full of scrounged vehicles, welcomed him. War Boys dragged Nux forward but his legs quickly gave out. Nux collapsed on his stomach on the garage floor, panting and a smile slowly spreading across his face. A few Boys lifted him up, and the sound of stinging slaps echoed in the room when they struck his sweaty back._

 _"You're mental!" one Boy called._

 _Another punched him hard in the shoulder. "You sonofabitch, I had money on your guts splattered across the yard. Well I'll be fucked."_

 _"Nux, a tough nut to crack!" another Boy laughed. Nux rolled his eyes at the tired old phrase that gave him his namesake, but he still grinned anyways. He couldn't focus on a face, just basked in the warm glow of their praise. Vein Cutter, who had always been a bit rough to him, lifted him up in an embrace. A few others feigned pushing him off the edge, making Nux laugh._

 _"He's gone full Chrome! War Boy to the bone!"_

 _Nux wore each painful sting of a palm as his badge of loyalty to their pack. This was his oxygen. Their wonderful words fueled each labored breath, and Nux's head spun with unadulterated happiness. This had been the first day among many that he was certain he would die. It was also the first time he believed with utmost certainty that he knew where he rightfully belonged._

~o~

The sky was soot black and peppered with stars as Nux stared up at its expanse. Fewer stars were visible this evening, as most were concealed by ribbons of grey clouds brought in by the Westerly winds. Even the moon was partially obscured, appearing out of focus in the haze. Nux didn't care much for clouds. They taunted him, hinting at water that never came. Even now, the low rumble of thunder high above did little to stir Nux's interest. A few bright stars like satellites streaked across his vision before fading into the blackness. _Maybe pennies,_ Nux thought.

It had been hours since he was supposed to meet Capable in the Vault, but Nux couldn't seem to pull himself away. In the late afternoon, Ruin sat him down on a gurney in a private room, looked him straight in his eye as doctor and patient, and delivered the test results. It had all felt very...Old World. _It's not perfect, but it's the best we could have hoped for,_ she had said, smiling. _You got a lot of living to look forward to...Love, why are you frowning?_

Remission. No new tumors. _This is good news,_ she kept repeating. So why did Nux feel such melancholy?  
Even now, thinking about their conversation, he was overcome by the sensation of drowning. Disoriented and reeling from her words, Nux had stumbled as fast as he could out of the medical wing. Somehow he ended up here in the gardens, the only place that didn't feel suffocating. Nux shifted on his bad leg and tapped the crutch to the dirt. "Should go back down now," he told himself. _Capable's probably worried as hell._ However, Nux didn't move.

Eventually he dragged himself down the path, but instead of heading to the exit, made his way past the overgrown gardens until he couldn't walk any further. His boot, the same that dug into the monolith's divots but now a little worse for wear, stopped mere inches from open air. Still unsteady on his injured leg, he knew better than to risk getting this close to the edge of the butte, but he did anyway. Leaning over, Nux peered down into oblivion. The yard was concealed by the Citadel's shadows, so the earth appeared as a sucking black void. Nux kicked a stone to watch it fall, but it was too dark and too loud from the wind to hear it reach the earth. Instead, he liked to think it would fall forever.  
Looking below made him feel faint, his legs weak, but he enjoyed the sensation. Just one more step and he could fly. As he discovered on the day of the climb, tempting death had a way of making him feel more alive. Or in the very least, brought him back to when things still made sense.

The wind tugged his arms towards the emptiness, whispering, _fly with us, Nux. Come ride the sky._

When the cold wind grew too strong, threatening to actually pull him over, he gave in and returned to his previous spot leaning on a metal barrier not far from some cherry trees. He had a full view of the agricultural terraces from here. Straight ahead was the Western Butte, and his eyes traced the vertical path he took those years ago which had finally solidified his place in the pack. Nux frowned. There was no way he would ever get to do that again with this leg. "What does it matter..." he growled to the emptiness.

Up here, alone, Nux could finally think. Funny how he was back to alone, even after he and Capable found themselves in sync again. He had to accept that alone was a new normal, now that his life of comradery had ended. What kind of life remained without it? This thought drained the moisture from his throat.

Nux plunked himself down on the steps between the barriers so that his feet intersected the soy fields. Plants crowded in from each side of the path, so he pushed their scratchy leaves from his face. This low to the ground smelled of clay and growth, and something else that seemed ancient as the world itself. He reached under the plants and dug his hand deep into moist black soil. Lifting up a handful, he squeezed it in his palm and let it fall in clumps. Nux raised his brow in surprise to find that it kept its shape, and didn't slide away like the sand he knew so well. It smelled rich and full of life. His hand came away satisfyingly black, just as hands were meant to be.

There were a few Wretcheds working off down in the terrace below him. They paid him no attention and kept on with their work under lamplight. As a Pup, he had always wondered what it looked like up here. He would speculate and pester the older Boys to see what they thought, but he never got a straight answer. _Nux, the Pup who asked too many goddamn questions_ , they'd say. When he asked about this world, what was up here, who lived here, the most he would get was "it's the god's garden" to his disappointment and frustration. However, that answer wasn't too far off, now that he thought about it. Even under the dim moon and lamplight, Nux could never have imagined so much green. Green had been a spray paint for a vehicle, not a living thing. Knowing only machines in those days, not vegetation, as a Pup he had pictured a god's garden being made up of endless rows of cars, with designs that were too fantastic to imagine.

As Nux stood up and brushed off his hands, he heard the grind of dirt with approaching footsteps. He shrugged it off as more Wretcheds and went back to the metal garden in his memories.

 _"Nux!"_

The voice pulled him from his stupor. He turned to find Capable sprinting to him. "Oh my gods, there you are!"

To his shock, she threw her arms around him. Her force nearly knocked him over, but he managed to steady himself with the railing. With her cheek pressed into his chest, he sensed the heat of her breath on his sternum. Her clinging body was so warm, a sharp contrast to the air that nipped at his exposed skin. For a moment he enjoyed the change from the cool night wind. Nux stared down, confused. Capable let go and wrapped her upper body with her cream shawl, rubbing her arms...The same shawl that had once kept their entwined hands warm on the salt flats. "Gods, I was looking all over for you!"

"Sorry," he replied as he looked her over, sullen. The dim light reflected off Capable's glassy skin, flushed and moist with sweat. Her hair, which had been tied up neatly with some fabric this morning, now hung lopsided with strands falling over her neck and shoulders. She looked a right mess, yet he was taken aback by how attractive he still found her in this dishevelled state...even more so, he had to admit.

"You –" Capable wheezed, "You won't _believe_ the thoughts that went through my head!" She paused to catch her breath. "You had me so worried! Holy cross, Nux, I almost lost my mind thinking the other Boys had hurt you, or worse! Gods, even _The Dag_ had me thinking the Buzzards were off eating you now!" she sighed, and Nux felt a squeeze of his hand. "I'm just glad you're okay. There's a chance I might have let my imagination get the best of me."

Nux mumbled something, and accepted the gesture. Capable's expression transformed to disappointment. "I thought you were gonna come and see me this afternoon after your meeting."

Nux diverted his gaze to the black soil under his feet and nudged a stone. "Right..."

He sensed her eyes digging into him, and when he glanced up again, was met by a face awash with concern. "Oh. Okay," she sighed again. "It's fine. Just...Just _please_ tell me next time. When I couldn't find you I freaked out. If I hadn't run into Toast just now and heard that you two came up here the other day, I would probably still be searching. Maybe even chasing after the Buzzards," she laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "I hate to admit it, but Furiosa's probably right; we need to be more careful around here. Even you." Capable stepped beside him and followed Nux's gaze across the horizon. She linked her arm in his and smiled. "So whatcha doing up here, anyways? Gardening?"

Nux shook his head. "Wouldn't even know how."

"You can build a car from scratch, pretty sure you could figure out how to grow a measly plant," she grinned. "You know, if you didn't want to join me in the Vault, that's okay. You just had to say. It wouldn't have bothered me at all. I know it can be a bit boring."

"No, that's not it," Nux coughed and turned his head toward the soy field. "Was gonna. I wanted to. Just needed a minute in quiet."

"Oh. Alright." She paused. "Want me to go?"

"No, it's fine."

The two stood in awkward silence, while the rustle of green held Nux's occupation. He was mesmerized by how each leaf trembled independently, yet the entire field swayed in the coordinated synchrony of a convoy. It was comforting, in a strange way. Capable let go of his arm and began to shift back and forth on her feet, rubbing her shoulders while her bare legs bore the full bite of the elements. He noticed she was shivering, but looked away to the Western Butte again, the wind stinging his eyes. Finally, she asked softly, "So did you see Ruin?"

"Uh huh."

"And?"

"And what?" he looked over to her.

Capable rolled her eyes. "And...did you get the early results?"

"Yeah..." he muttered and watched her become still. Even in the lamp light he could see the blood drain from her cheeks.

"Nux...?"

He remained quiet and returned his attention to the landscape. The distant road to the West was slightly visible in the darkness, snaking across the plains. Some of the clouds above had blown away, revealing more sky. A wide strip of stars, thick as Mother's Milk, spilled across the center of the heavens and split the world in half.

"Nux?!" came Capable's voice again, this time fracturing with fear.

Nux sighed. "She says I'm doin' real well."

 _"Really?"_ Capable squealed.

"Yeah...No new tumours. Said it's too early to see if anything inside is shrinking, but nothin's growing. My blood count levels were better too. She suspects that Larry and Barry were the worst of 'em. Ruin said...she's pretty certain I'm gonna have a Full-Life."

"Oh my gods, that's amazing!" Capable gasped, jumping in place before clumsily wrapping her arms tight around his waist. She pulled away, but in her uncontrolled excitement her shawl fell to the ground. For a few moments she stood by him grinning with bare arms, hair in disarray, dancing on the spot from excitement and cold. "I can't believe it, that's incredible! Holy. I was really hoping, but never thought it would...Wow."

"Yeah," Nux mumbled, "incredible."

"Gods, and here I thought you were going to tell me you had a week to live or something!"

"Nope."

Capable narrowed her eyes at him. "Nux, is everything okay?"

Nux shrugged.

"Are you feeling ill again?"

"Yeah." It was a half-truth. Really, the news was nauseating, and he wanted to doubt what Ruin had told him. Many of those tests had been excruciatingly invasive, but some, like the X-ray, didn't even touch him. If he couldn't feel it, how could they possibly know what was going on inside him? _Maybe the tests are faulty,_ he hoped.

"Did she say you need more treatment?"

"Yeah, another round, says it'll probably be my last."

"That's amazing. Better than we could have hoped!" Capable beamed, echoing Ruin. She then came to stand close to him, unable to suppress a grin, while the shawl was tightly wrapped around her again. "Holy shit Nux, you scared me there! Aren't you absolutely thrilled?"

Shrugging, Nux picked a leaf and began to pull its veins apart. "I dunno. I just feel...strange."

"But this is great news!"

"Is it?" Nux asked, and he could taste the bitterness in his own words.

Capable gaped at him. "Yes, Nux."

"People keep saying that, but...there's a lot to take in from it all. Plus..." his words faded into the wind.

"Plus what?"

"Nevermind," Nux sighed. She didn't want to hear this.

"No, c'mon. Plus what?" she brushed some loose strands of hair from her face.

"Fine," he spat, and heat quickly shot up from his gut towards his throat. "Did anyone ever think that maybe I don't _want_ a Full-Life?" He tossed away the shreds of the leaf into the field.

"What?" Capable gasped. _"Why in the Wasteland not?"_

Nux shook his head, squeezing the railing until his knuckles seared. "Jus' can't explain it." He glared at the horizon, but a hand on his arm pulled his attention.

Capable softly stroked his wrist. "Then try."

Nux exhaled with a huff. "Just...I just don't know what's going to happen. It's as if I was given someone else's life and have to start all over!"

"Isn't that a good thing?"

Nux stared at her, appalled. "No! How could it _possibly_ be good? I've lost everything I had! Lost my brothers, I can't ride..." Nux's voice and shoulders quivered upon admitting the awful truths aloud. "What's the point of living if I can't ride?"

Capable's eyes went wide. "Don't talk like that! And you will, Nux, soon! When you're fully healed!"

"That's the thing." Nux growled through gritted teeth. "I won't."

"Sure you will! Ruin said you're recovering well. Once you're done treatment, you –"

"No, Capable, you don' understand." Nux vigorously shook his head. Her assurances were beginning to prickle his skin, so he spoke carefully, trying not to raise his tone. "There was something else we talked about. My leg. Ruin sat me down an' said straight that the muscle on my calf is as healed as it's ever gonna be."

"What?" she gasped.

"The scar tissue and infection were too bad. Can't even put my full weight on it without it shaking. She even took the brace off and showed me. It looked horrid!" Recalling the ghastly mass of scar tissue, and the pathetic way he had swayed and fallen in front of Ruin, Nux lost his composure. "Capable, I can't even fucking _feel_ half my leg!" he shouted. "She stuck a needle in, nothing! And that's for forever!" His voice echoed across the Citadel, with the word _forever_ lingering in the desert air.

Capable, face now pallid and tense, reached out her hand. "But Nux, I –"

Nux turned away from her and leaned against the railing. Waiting until the boiling anger and hurt was subdued to a simmering ache, he continued, "Ruin wants me to be prepared that I might never be able to walk right. Or without a goddamn cane."

"But that doesn't mean you can't ride!"

Nux squeezed the rusted bars with shaking hands. "Cape, riding isn't just driving. Remember the Rig? Need to be able to be anywhere, go anywhere underneath it. Ruin says it'll be like missing a limb."

"Furiosa's missing a limb, and she can still do all that work on a car. Of anyone who can, it's you!" Capable cried, exasperated.

Nux shook his head again, his skin tingling from her aggravating pleadings. _Why can't she just stop?_ "Fine, but even if I _could_ , you think they're gonna take on some lame War Boy with a cane? You think I would even get out there to prove myself, even to build my strength? That's not how it works here. Barely even exist to them anymore. You know, I climbed that mountain _–_ " Nux's hand shot out to the butte, " _–_ and now I'm nothing! Worse, a deserter! They have no brotherhood with me unless I ride, but I won't even be given that chance. I will _never_ ride again." Nux's voice broke. His face burned, a sharp contrast to the chilly night air.

They both fell silent. Nux's limbs suddenly felt heavy, weighed down by these unbearable truths. He had been feeling bad before, but this was much worse...It had been better when it had just been him alone with the green.

"I'm so sorry, Nux. That's really rough." Capable's voice was gentle, but mixed with sand.

Nux shrugged, trying not to think about how he was on the verge of bringing her to tears. "Can't do anything about it." He breathed hard, feeling the steam expel from his nostrils with each sharp exhale.

"But Nux," Capable chirped, trying to sound cheery, "even if you can't ride now, this is still good! You can have a Full-Life! This is what we fought so hard for, what you suffered for. All those awful treatments, puking in the lift, the fevers...You didn't need to go through that, you chose to." Her words lowered to a whisper. "Nux...I thought you wanted this. Furiosa made it happen because she wants you around. _I_ want you around."

"Well I didn't ask for any of this!" Nux yelled, turning back to face her with arms raised. "The Siege, treatment, everything! I was supposed to have a Half-Life, be a War Boy...that was it!"

"Ugh!" he groaned, kicking his leg hard into a wooden board beside him, hoping for pain. He received it through electrical fire shooting up his broken leg, but this was not the kind of pain he desired. He craved the sting of palms against his shoulders and welding sparks singeing his chest.

"Nux, take it easy!" Capable snapped, her patience clearly tested. "And I am _not_ your enemy to fight. I didn't give you this Half-Life, and I didn't break your damn leg!"

Nux was pulled back from his anguish and throbbing leg to find her scowling at him with crossed arms. Struck by shame, Nux hunched over and wallowed in the discomfort. However, through his disgrace, he found some calm. "Sorry...Sorry, Capable. You're right, I shouldn't take it out on you...It's just...nothing makes sense anymore."

She nodded stiffly, although her arms relaxed to her sides.

Nux rubbed his shoulder. "Can't make any sense of any of it. I mean, first Immortan dies, even though gods aren't supposed to die." Nux's eyes went back to the cliff. "My brothers promised I was one of them till death, and now most won't even _look_ at me. All I've been told is lies, all my life." He dug his fingers into his neck until it hurt. "How can I believe any of it? Why should I even believe Ruin? Or anyone, for that matter? I mean, is there even a Valhalla?!" Nux's voice crumbled away at that question, and then he swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat.

Capable waited a moment before responding, evidently searching for her own sense of calm. "It's okay to be upset," she cooed. "Things don't always turn out like we wanted. I didn't ask to come to the Citadel, or to lose those babies, but it happened. We just make the best of it and keep surviving, right?" She touched his arm again, and gave an assuring smile. "Things might not be what you expected, but you now have time to figure it out. Isn't that a good thing?"

He pulled his arm away. "No, it's terrifying! Ever since I can remember I always knew I would die historic on the Fury Road. Even if I had been too sick in the end, Slit was gonna drive me around so I could die riding to Valhalla." Despite his effort to keep it at bay, anger and fear began to simmer once again in his chest. "Now...Now I don't know how I'm going to die. Or when! How can anyone live like that?"

He glared at the world, but soon felt her fingers slide between his own. His heart jumped. He tried to grasp onto the anger boiling in his stomach, but those fingers were too damn distracting.

"You'll find a way, somehow." she whispered.

His shoulders slumped. Disappointment finally consumed his last shreds of anger, and he was too exhausted to try to hold on to it anymore. "Honestly, Cape, how does anyone manage like this? How did you keep wanting to live when you were suffering through hell those years?"

She shrugged. "I just found things to look forward to. Like the Green Place."

"But if there's no Green Place, no Valhalla, and I can't ride, what is there?"

Capable didn't answer. Instead, she released her hold on his hand and stepped to stand in front of him, looking up with the strangest of expressions. Nux peered down at her, curious, and found his breath hitched when she slid her hands up his ribs and sternum until her wrists hung over his shoulders. Nux savored the light pressure on his collarbone and her peculiar smile. His eyes grew heavy with that odd fever warming his face as her fingers stroked the back of his neck. Reflexively, Nux placed his arms around her, drawing his hand across her hips and along her lower back.

As Nux opened his mouth to speak, Capable arched up and suddenly brought his face down to meet her lips. In an instant, the world stopped in time. The only thing that existed was the wonderful changing pressure of her lips against his and the liquid iron pulsing in waves through his veins. The world fell silent save for the whisper of leaves around them. Nux's breath had long since left him. His hand slid up her back and he pulled her closer. She couldn't physically be close enough; he wanted to be everywhere around and with her. For a brief moment Capable parted from him, her mouth open and still touching his bottom lip, before she smiled, slid her right palm up his jaw, and then kissed him again. Nux floated in every movement of her soft mouth and allowed himself to drift away, lost to her scent and taste. He now knew the taste of rain.

Thoughts of futures, Half-Lives, and Gates were blown away to the east to be lost among memories.  
After some time, Nux could not say how long, Capable broke away and rocked back on her heels. She looked shyly at the ground and rested her cheek against his chest. "Well, there's that," she whispered into his scars.  
Numb and trembling from either the cold or the electricity of her skin against his, Nux glanced across the sea of green to the barren and beautiful desert beyond. Something new had ignited in him, though it might have been there this whole time, had he just looked hard enough. This new strangeness slowly catching fire was akin to that pure, foolish ecstasy of conquering a mountain just to find one's reason to be.  
 _So this is a Full Life,_ Nux smirked as his chest rose and fell with this disheveled, beautiful girl pressed against it. _Guess I'll get used to it._


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE: Nux.**

"You...you okay with this?" Nux stuttered, his voice catching in his throat as Capable hovered above him.

The corner of her lip turned up into a small smile. "Yeah," she laughed and leaned down, causing the upholstery under Nux's shoulders to sink slightly with the shifting weight. With his hand drawing across the back of her shirt, this was beginning to feel a lot like a concussion: disorienting and cloudy. From the corner of his eye, he could just see a sliver of the moon lingering in the cloudless blue.

 _'The crescent.'_

To Nux's disappointment, Capable suddenly sat up again and fixed her top. "Hmm. Guess we really should get started on that..." She nodded to the massive pile of goods lying about the Vault's floor that they had yet to touch.

"Right..." Nux agreed. However, both he and Capable didn't move from their place on the lounge chair, just stared at the junk pile.

 _'The crescent, there.'_

"Eh. Later," Capable smirked, leaning down against him again. Nux –

 _'Hey Nux...Nux!'_

"Huh?"

Max was staring at him from the ladder, impatiently gesturing at the ground next to the hoisted vehicle. "Pass me that, yeah?"

"What? Oh. Right!" Nux scrambled to grab the crescent wrench laying in the greasy dirt, almost tripping over his own leg brace as he tossed it up to Max, who caught it with one hand. "Off somewhere?" Max grumbled from above.

"Yeah, sorry. Here now." Nux returned his attention to the stubborn wheel well of Max's Interceptor, but the memory of this morning with Capable kept clouding his thoughts. How could it not? The last two weeks since that night in the gardens were utter, unfathomable glory. Since the gardens, they spent a good part of their days in the Vault with lips and chests pressed, while their responsibilities went largely neglected. While everything was still relatively innocent between them, on account of Capable's comfort level, this next phenomenal hue of color was just so new and lovely.

Nux paused from absently fiddling with the axle bearing, allowing his thoughts to drift again. There were new colors beyond his imagining, that included Capable's lopsided smirk, the way her skin felt like the velvet from the music box, her taste of rain...

A rough shove caused Nux to nearly topple over. Max was now standing next to him – _when did he get down? –_ holding a grease canister. Max shook it at Nux.

"Oh, right, sorry! On it." Nux grabbed the container, nearly dropping it, and scrambled under the car with some tools to begin lubricating the suspension.

"You 'right?" Max called, barely audible over the hollow drilling and welding sounds that filled the engine bay.

"Yeah, just shine."

"It's that girl, isn't it?"

"What? No," Nux fibbed and dropped the canister, spilling some grease by his foot.

Max suppressed what was clearly a grin. "Sure."

Rolling his eyes, Nux picked up the canister and moved onto the next wheel. Max could think what he wanted. Although the corner of Nux's lips turned up into a half smile too.

~o~

The two lowered Max's vehicle from the lift and worked on it for the better part of the afternoon, although Nux's actual contribution was questionable. Sweat dripped down his collarbone as he leaned over the sand-locked cylinders. The Westerly winds had largely dissipated, and with their departure came the heat. Even Max, who normally seemed immune to the stifling climate in his thick leather jacket, was now working in a simple shirt that had darkened below the neck from moisture.

Nux paused to watch Max work, and considered their odd journey that led them here. Max had been his blood donor, his hood ornament, his co-prisoner, and now his friend. Looking at Max, a swell of gratitude washed through him. While War Boys were great comrades, there was always that competitiveness and machoism that meant one's standing was never secure...even with Slit. This here, working together in quiet camaraderie, felt more mature, durable. Plus, it was nice for once having a friend who didn't constantly get powder all over you.

After a while, Nux's shoulders began to strain from fussing with the alternator. Taking a step back, he stretched his arms high overhead, enjoying the burn spreading through his taut muscles. "She's looking good," Nux chirped, admiring the Interceptor. "Finally looking like a vehicle, not a heap a' scrap. Think she'll ride soon?"

A grunt of agreement came from in the hood, where just the back of Max's head was visible.

"Soon!" Nux beamed, before strolling a few meters away with his crutch to scope out the yard. His attention was immediately drawn to the open garage door of the engine bay, where a hunched female with a metal arm had just entered. Nux nodded in greeting as Furiosa approached, and noted that her face was clammy with a hint of fever. He was amazed that she was even standing. She looked – _what was the opposite of shine?_

"Hear you got some good news lately," Furiosa smiled, although her eyes spoke of pain.

"Yeah." Nux picked at the remaining stitches on his neck. "So Ruin says." _Had her eyes always been gray?_

"Not too upset about it?"

"No...uh, not anymore." Nux stuttered, taken aback. _How would she know he'd taken it hard? Of course, because she's an Imperator._ Furiosa would know the workings of War Boys better than they'd know themselves.

Furiosa gave an earnest, pained smile. "Glad to hear it," she sighed, and began heading towards Max by the engine, her shoulders off-kilter. As Nux watched her leave, his gut twisted with something unsaid. Clearing his throat, Nux called out in a feeble voice, "Wait!" He nervously rubbed his neck when she turned back to him. "Hey, uh...You feeling 'right?"

Furiosa wiped her moist brow with her half arm, but didn't meet his gaze. "I'm fine. Just tired."

Nux stared, perplexed. That wasn't the face of someone who was tired. Everything, the way she held herself, her jerking movements, screamed agony. Nux knew that pain, a pain where even breathing was sometimes too bothersome to endure. "I dunno...you look pretty rusted. Maybe could go see Ruin? She got me these drugs that stoned me out better than Chrome. I could get some..."

"Nux, that's not necessary."

"It wouldn't hurt!" Nux urged. His eyes darted desperately to Max, who was no longer fiddling with the engine, but watching them.

"It's alright, I'm fine!" Furiosa repeated, this time more tersely. Max opened his mouth to speak as Furiosa made her way to his side, but then apparently decided against it. Instead, he exchanged a worried glance with Nux.

Nux rocked back and forth on his feet for a few minutes, awkwardly watching the two converse in his spot by the engine that Furiosa now occupied. Max whispered something to her, and was that... _Furiosa laughing?_ Nux blinked to process that lovely sound, which he had only ever heard once before. A moment later, Nux raised his brow when Furiosa rested her full arm gently on Max's back, leaned in, and said something too low for Nux to hear. He was suddenly eager to get back to his spot, mostly to become part of their secret conversation. Maybe he could also be the one to help lift her spirits.

After another minute of hesitation, Nux found the courage to inch his way in. "So, uh, Furiosa, are you stoked for your big night?" The ex-wives had been busy planning a night for her, which should be good to go in a few weeks once Cheedo sorted out the food situation.

Furiosa narrowed her eyes at him. "Huh?" Meanwhile, Max made a weird gesture with his arms from behind her.

Nux fidgeted with a screwdriver. "Yeah, everyone's been planning and –"

Max coughed and shook his head roughly. _Is something wrong with his neck? Is he having a seizure?_

"Okay..." Furiosa eyed Nux strangely, before walking away to the back of the vehicle.

"Y'alright, brother?" Nux asked Max, concerned. "Gotta tick?"

Max groaned and mumbled something, so Nux shrugged it off as just another one of his occasional bouts of madness. Max following Furiosa to the back of the car, and _placed a hand on her shoulder?_ Nux tilted his head, perplexed. Before he could follow them, at that moment a familiar face appeared in the bay entrance. His stomach did flips as Capable practically skipped over to him.

"Hey!" she called, adjusting the heavy medical bag on her shoulder. When not working on the Vault, she spent almost every free minute shadowing Ruin.

"How was it?" Nux smiled.

"Amazing! I got to touch the inside a dead person today. It was _disgusting_ ," she beamed, eyes glimmering. Nux wrinkled his nose, but still found himself smiling for her anyways. When she had first excitedly told him she was training to become a medic, it was as if she had said that sand was dry. It was something he had already known. Capable was and would always be a healer, saving those around her from their physical – and existential – wounds. Perhaps it was _her_ manifest destiny.

"Hey," he nudged her, gesturing towards the car. "Furiosa's looking right awful. What d'ya reckon?"

Capable glanced over to the back of the Interceptor, where Furiosa was conversing with some War Boys. "I dunno. She always gritty. Why?"

"Naw, she's worse, sickly-like. Not like before," Nux insisted. "Maybe her wound's bad again."

"Shit, really?" Capable frowned. "Did she say what was wrong?"

"No. Tried asking her, even suggested she go see Ruin, but she insists she's shine." Nux tugged Capable's hand, bright-eyed. "Maybe you can go talk to her? Convince her?"

Capable hesitated, twisting the straps of her bag, while her eyes darted to Furiosa and back at Nux. "I dunno. If she doesn't want help, not much we can do. Plus...I'm sure Max will look after her," Capable stuttered, then smiled gently. "How about I talk to Ruin tomorrow? Furiosa's more likely to listen to her anyway."

Nux winced at the pain hidden in Capable's voice, but nodded. "Alright, sounds like a plan." At that moment Max returned to his place at the engine, his face still fraught with concern.

"Plus don't forget our evening for her will help," Capable smiled, then teased Nux's fingers. "On that note, wanna come to the kitchens? Cheedo wants to show us some of her dish ideas for Furiosa's night. Remember not to mention it to her, by the way, she doesn't know."

 _Oh._ Near the engine, Nux could see Max shaking his head.

After bidding Max and Furiosa farewell, they walked up one level to the industrial kitchens, hand in hand. Nux glanced down at their linked fingers. When Capable first grabbed his hand to walk together, he thought she was frightened of something. As they entered the wide kitchen hall where steam swallowed them amidst the vats of simmering foods, this still seemed strange. However, he embraced the gesture as just another vibrant hue to brighten his Full Life.

~o~

The next day, during the sweltering afternoon, the two lay on loose cushions in the Vault. Capable rested her head on his lap while reading her medical book. Nux leaned against the sandy Vault wall, absorbed with fixing an oxygen sensor while the ephemeral sound of _Le Temps de L'amour_ floated on the heavy air.

This had become the new normal. It was odd, though. He felt like he was riding a V8 all the time, even here lying in the soft heat. He got that same tingling euphoria that made his fingers numb. How could anything other than riding feel so shine?

"Cervical." Capable stated aloud with her eyes closed. "Cervical...Thoracic...Lumbar."

"What?" Nux looked down at her, perplexed.

Capable shook her head. "Oh, sorry. Just memorizing anatomy."

"Lumber? Like wood?"

"Haha no, that's just a part of the spine. Cervical..." Capable sat up and reached her hand to touch the back of his neck. "Thoracic..." she slid two fingers between his shoulder blades and the wall. "Lumbar...Sacral..." Down and down, ending at his belt loop. She smiled and got up, while Nux found himself lightheaded as her strange words still lingered on his vertebrae. If his Full Life could be made up of all of this, he could die soft as velvet.

"Alright," Capable sighed, hopping up, "'nough of that. Let's get this done!" She made her way over to the last large, intimidating piles of boxes in the remaining storage room and set to work.

As Capable busied herself with the pile of goods, Nux grabbed her medical book and poured over illustrations of dissected muscle, opened lungs, and fantastical medical devices. The information was endless, and equally intimidating. He became absorbed in reading something called defibrillation when he heard Capable gasp in delight.

"Oh! Look what I found!" Capable came over to him holding up a wide box of silver canisters. "Jackpot! Think we could swap these with some Boys for something nice? Like better tools?"

Nux looked at the familiar box and smirked, remembering those distinct canisters from when he was young. "What? For that stuff?" he shook his head. "Not gonna get much for those. Wanna save 'em for ourselves instead?" he joked, reaching out an arm to her, but she instinctively pulled the box away from him.

"Hell no! Do you want more lead in your brain? Why in the Wasteland would you still want it?" She tossed the box on the floor by his feet and the silver canisters clanked together. "This stuff is terrible."

Nux scowled, confused by her reaction to something so benign. "What's terrible?"

"Chrome!"

Glancing at the canisters, he smirked. "Yeah, maybe." To his surprise, the mention of Chrome brought with it an unexpected craving. Nux leaned his head back against the wall so that his neck was taut. Closing his eyes, he recalled the magnificent high that switched every cell in his body into overdrive, where all time in history became a single, glorious moment. "Mmm worth it though. Makes you feel full metal. Like you can't ever die."

Nux grinned and feigned reaching for the box, but Capable kicked it away. "That sounds horrible."

Nux shook his head and sighed. "Unless you tried it, you can't ever understand." Capable scrunched up her face, so he shrugged. "Hard to explain. Maybe it's just a War Boy thing."

"You mean a _guy_ thing?"

"Maybe."

"Fine!" Capable grabbed a bottle from the box and plopped herself down beside him, popping off the cap.

Nux's eyes widened, and the medical book slid out of his hands. "Wait...what're you doing?"

"Making a point."

"Don't. That's –"

"Why, you don't think I can _handle_ it?" She retorted. "Let's do this, brain damage be damned!"  
Nux stared in shock as Capable brought the canister to her mouth, scrunched her eyes tight, and pressed the nozzle. Immediately chrome mist shot out and flew down her windpipe. Capable choked and wheezed, struggling for breath. "Ugh!"

Nux watched her, trying with all his strength to keep a straight face. "Well?"

"How can you stand it, it tastes awful!" She spat a mouthful of silver onto the Vault dirt. For a moment she sat still as her face slowly soured. "And I don't feel anything."

Nux couldn't hold it in any longer. He exploded in laughter, keeling over into the dirt.

"What?" Capable stared with crossed arms at Nux convulsing on the floor. "What's the matter? Is it still on me?" She wiped her silver lips with her shirt. " _Blegh_ , why's it so sweet?"

He tried to speak, but couldn't form the words through another uncontrollable fit. "That's...that's..." he gasped between breaths, "...That's...not Chrome!" He finally managed to blurt out.

 _"What?"_

He doubled over again, cackling and holding his sides that jarred with each hard inhale. Sitting up, Nux panted and tried to speak, but more laughter came. Capable punched his shoulder, and he finally calmed down enough to speak. "That's...that's spray Old World people put on sweets!" he wheezed. "Cake...cakes. Not Chrome...As Pups we used to play with it and...and pretend to be War Boys. Pups can't have the real stuff. Too much lead, makes their heads screwy."

"Are you serious? And you _knew_?"

Nux nodded and another cackle came out. Capable groaned and threw the canister at his leg. He dodged it, then lay down on his back, his chest heaving. "Ow...ribs...hurt...laughing."

"Good. I hope it does! Serves you right."

Nux sighed. "That was still pretty glory of you. Not many new Boys would huff like that on a first go."

"Yeah. Whatever," she replied airily. However, this time it was clear Capable couldn't help but grin too.

~o~

For the next three days, Capable was mainly occupied with shadowing Ruin. Nux kept himself busy by helping Max or fixing the odd machine around the Vault. He might not be riding, but it was something mechanic at least. Since the gardens, he was finally starting to feel like a War Boy again, even if he couldn't ride. Nux admired Capable's enthusiasm after her training sessions, but she seemed to have a better stomach than him for that type of work. Yesterday she had the opportunity to clean an infection, and the description of it as "satisfying" was enough to stir up Nux's nausea from his past treatment.

Nux was fidgeting with an old generator when Capable returned one afternoon. She crossed his path without a word and dropped her medical bag with a loud thud by the window. For a few minutes only the landscape beyond the glass dome occupied her attention, where she stood with shoulders rigid and face cloaked by shadow. After a moment, she came to Nux's side. "Hi," she spoke with none of her contagious excitement from every other day.

"Everything 'right?" Nux pried, biting his lip.

"Yeah, it's fine," she sighed, but her body still emitted tension. Capable rubbed her face. "Just got some big news from Ruin I'm trying to process."

"Really? What?"

Capable shook her head, sending strands of rust locks over her shoulders. "I'll tell you later." She tied up her hair with some cloth, and glanced at the remaining pile of goods in the center of the Vault. "Wow look! We're almost there. Let's just get this damn place done!" She threw a smile Nux's way, although shadow still lingered in the corners of her eyes.

~o~

Capable's melancholy quickly evaporated as they worked together on the room. A few hours later, Capable, disheveled but determined, took in their progress. "Holy crap, Nux, I can't believe it...we're almost through it! Just hope there's some of Joe's whisky in those last boxes so we can celebrate."

Nux paused to admire what had become a surprisingly empty room. Somehow, by some power, Capable had nearly accomplished the impossible and cleaned out the Vault, save for a scarce few boxes in the storage room that were now the focus of their attention.

"Whoa, what's that?" Something at the back of the storage room caught her eye. Crawling over sharp edges and shifting boxes, she dug through the mess to retrieve the device. After a minute scrutinizing it, she gasped. "No way. A transceiver!"

Nux looked up from inspecting a collection of military knives, holding one with a camo-speckled blade. "A what?"

She returned from the back with a metal device in a heavy green case in her arms. "You know, a portable radio. For talking long distances."

"Yelling?"

Capable laughed. "No, for talking far away. Hundreds...Thousands of miles." Nux looked at her skeptically. "No, I'm serious!" She turned the apparatus over in her arms. "This is a real thing! You can send messages far away, even across oceans. They used to play music, too. Look, there is so much equipment! Joe had this the whole time? Wow, what a waste."

The word _music_ peeked Nux's interest, so he put down the knives to see what she was doing.

Capable darted between boxes and soon had found a half dozen containing various types of military radios. She pulled out the pieces, inspecting the wires and microphones. "We used one like this on the farm!" Capable picked up the small tactical radio and played with the dials. "Shine," she muttered under her breath, and Nux bit his lip to suppress a smirk. His vernacular was rubbing off on her.

"This might totally work here!" Capable turned to the window and pointed out to the West. "You see that metal tower on the Central Butte, between the fields? Miss Giddy said that's an Old World radio tower that Joe never bothered to use. You use electricity to send messages in waves through the air."

Nux nodded, not sure how there could be waves that weren't in water or sand. He was enthralled by how much she knew. Maybe in some strange world a man would be intimidated by that, but here knowledge meant survival. Power. It was becoming clear that withholding knowledge and spewing propaganda was how Joe climbed the ladder to become a god figure.

"This might be really useful," Capable grinned. "If we can get it to work, it will save on having to send out scouts or pigeons whatever we have to get a word back from one of the towns."

"Pigeons?"

"You know, those funny noisy birds on the roof. I had a pet one for a while, actually. Until my schlanger neighbor ate him."

Nux loved hearing these little tidbits of her bizarre early life. It was the same fascination as the hours poring over books and Old World junk. How many years had he wasted getting high on Chrome and kicking around metal parts? Nux's chest fluttered with excitement. With all this new time in his Full Life, he could just sit with books and fill his head with radios and pigeons until his eyes hurt. _Had Slit even touched a book?_

For an hour or so the two ignored their sorting duties and fussed with the radios, trying to get something out of one to work. Nux focused on trying to charge the radio's battery with a generator, while Capable tore apart the rest of the junk for a missing microphone cord, to no avail. However, Nux managed to conjure up some static.

"Neato." Capable sighed half-heartedly at the crinkly sound before plopping herself beside him against the wall. "Alright, I'm spent. Wanna take a break?"

"Sure, what do you wanna do?" Nux muttered absently, occupied by specks of dust being scattered by the generator's fan. The dust appeared and disappeared into existence among the last hints of the sun by his feet.

Capable sat up and turned to face him with the most devious of expressions. Drifting forward, she wrapped her arms over his shoulders and teased his shoulder blades. Nux held his breath, paralyzed. She guided his own arm to her waist. He allowed her to direct his actions as he could no longer move on his own under her touch. Pressing him against the wall, she finally leaned in. "Just this."

Nux grinned through the kiss.

After a few moments of crashing into each other, Capable pulled back and rested her head against his chest. Meanwhile, Nux's mind was once again overflowing with clouds. Capable drew a deep yawn and propped up her knees against him. "Just gonna close my eyes for a minute."

He glanced out the glass dome while Capable adjusted so that one of her wrists was tucked under her chin. Not to his surprise, in less than a minute Nux heard the steady exhales of sleep. Glancing down, Nux's eyes were drawn to her waist, where her shirt was bunched up to expose the inset of her hip bone, revealing strange, wavy black lines. Her rusted hair had fallen undone from their normal braids and splayed across her shoulders. _What a sight!_

As she slept, her soft exhales sent electric or radio or whatever waves down his sternum. He didn't know what all this crashing and drifting meant for his future. At the word 'future', his heart tightened like it did that night in the gardens. However, that dread was now kept at a low simmer. Right now, with a girl resting against him with her chin on her wrist, the last thing he wanted to see were the Gates. While his faith in the power of a V8 engine had never wavered, he was no longer convinced that there would be any Gates when the time came. And if by some strange chance it were true, and he was awaited at the Gates by Immortan Joe – Nux glanced down at Capable's marked womb, thinking of her recent anguish caused by that monster – well, Joe just better hope there isn't a Valhalla.

He carefully wrapped an arm over Capable and gazed out into the Citadel. While for the first time in his young life he didn't know the future, he at least still had a destiny...A destiny that had somehow manifested with health, music, and rust-colored hair.

~o~

The following afternoon, hyped from the previous day's events like the radio discovery, Nux felt strong enough for the next big step. Capable had taken off for training with Ruin, and with the Vault mostly finished, Nux decided he was going to have a go at his Chevrolet Deluxe. He hadn't been back to it since that awkward day with Capable, and today somehow felt right for it.

Nux descended three flights and made his way along the higher bridge that would lead him to the Central Butte. On the way he passed a few discarded bottles of real Chrome, causing him to smirk at the recent memory.

While this route wouldn't take him as long to get to the garage, it was still a drudging effort, especially with his crutch. His underarm was raw and chaffed, but without its support every step was still incredibly painful and unsteady. It was part of his life now, but that didn't make it any less uncomfortable.  
Nux soon reached the familiar greasy tunnel, but before going to the garage, he decided to stop by the old bunks first.

Shuffling into the low ceilinged room, Nux squinted to discern the dim shapes illuminated by a few scattered car lights. The room was mostly empty, save for a couple of War Boys passed out at the far end. There were about thirty beds in this bunk, each covered in a hard grey mat with grey sheets. After having lived for so long in his massive room in the heavens, the space suddenly felt cramped and constricting.

Nux passed two rows of beds to reach the bunk that had once been his own. His neck tingled at seeing the same worn mattress and the metal frame with familiar chips of paint. As prison-like as it appeared, it had always been comfortable enough for him. Each bunk also had a small personal touch, from a hanging wrench to some scavenged skull or trinket. Nux's bunk was no different. However, he tried not to look at his trinket hanging from the higher bunk, but his eyes still darted to the empty shotgun cartridge anyways. Immortan Joe had thrown a handful of these to the Boys in a gesture of gratitude. Shame dug itself and buried deep into Nux's stomach. He could see Capable looking down from her prison as he ravenously fought off other Boys for a literal piece of junk in the oily dirt. Without another thought, Nux ripped the cartridge from the string and tossed it down the drain pipe by his bed. He listened to the satisfying clink as it disappeared into the veins of the Citadel.

Nux gathered some tools under his bed, his only true belongings, but was soon met with a sharp sting when his eyes were drawn to the higher bunk, now empty. He didn't know this feeling, seeing the dead space where his lancer and best friend had once occupied. _What was this feeling...reverence? No._ Two and a half months ago he would have felt reverence, even been envious of Slit's death, but now he felt something different...Was it grief? Whatever it was, Nux didn't want to look anymore.

He left the bunks and made his way down the dim, humid tunnel. He was dying to get his hands on the Deluxe again, and he would probably be able to work better now that his brace was less sensitive to touch. Nux might not be able to scramble around the vehicle like he used to, but that didn't mean he couldn't tinker and build. He descended one set of short stairs. _I wonder where Slit is now._

The thick air reeked of grease and bodies. Its familiarity, though unpleasant, was somehow welcoming to Nux. On the way, he passed by the blood bag room and the old V8 shrine. A few War Boys and Pups were positioned below the altar with arms raised and fingers crossed in adulation. They looked somewhat...cartoonish. Nux couldn't say what that word meant, but that was it. Nux craned his neck to spy on their worship, but in his distraction slammed into a young War Boy coming from the opposite direction.

"G'out my way, Pup." The War Boy snarled and walked through him.

Nux stopped in his tracks. _Did I hear that correctly?_ His heart raced. _Yeah, yeah I did! Who was he to call me that? A PUP?_ Nux spun around but before he could curse back, the Boy was long gone. Nux by far outranked him, even before the Siege. _Pup? Bullshit!_ He still looked like a War Boy, minus the paint.

Nux continued on, but noticed that the hall towards the garage had grown crowded with pale faces, and he grew increasingly paranoid that their eyes were following him. Nux kept his head down, focusing on the grease-soaked path. He wondered what could be going on with so many Boys in one space, some that he had to push through with his awkward crutch. _Is someone attempting the climb?_

Nux passed a small crowd of black thumbs. "Dead man walking!" some gruff voice called from behind, laughing. A shiver passed up Nux's spine. The tunnel narrowed, and he pushed through the resistant bodies towards the underground garage holding his Chevrolet. _Just a bit further..._

Just as Nux made to turn a corner, a large, bulky War Boy missing his right eye pushed his way to the front of a wall of the pale figures. Flay, that was his name. "Oy Nux, how you goin'?"

"Shine," Nux muttered as he passed. However, Flay began to follow him.

"Enjoyin' that balcony view of 'urs?"

Nux ignored him and picked up his pace, but Flay matched it. "Where you goin' now?"

"The garage."

Flay increased his speed and stepped in front of him, stopping Nux in his path.

"I'm sorry brother. No, we don't think that's gonna happen." Nux tried to move around him, but the space was too narrow and too many spectators were around. "This's not your space no more. This is for soldiers. Veterans." He stepped closer, his heavy frame towering over Nux. "Not _traitors_."

The word collided into Nux with the force of a humvee, and he had the sudden urge to vomit. However, Nux kept his face unchanged, trying not to betray the deep hurt. Meanwhile, Flay turned to the smaller War Boy called Vein Cutter beside him and laughed. Nux scowled. He and Vein had grown pretty close after he climbed the mountain.

"Coming to pack your bags? I hear those women have some extra clothes that might fit ya!" Vein laughed. Nux rolled his eyes and tried moving forward. His jaw began to ache from clenching.

"What is this?" Flux added, shoving his finger into Nux's bandaged ribs, and then toed his leg brace. "Since when do War Boys come home from battle?"

"Cars get repaired, not people," Vein sneered. "And what's this about you being the Citadel's new cleaner? Wretcheds not doing a bloody good enough job for us?"

Fury shot up Nux's lungs and singed his throat. His breath tasted venomous. _What the fuck did they know?_ He loved digging through history of dead ages before the Wasteland. In these last months he already knew so much more than any of them. Nux even knew what a _radio_ was. Even with his rudimentary reading, he was a world ahead. He doubted many of them had even touched a book, let alone teased their fingers over one's musty pages. An air of smugness suddenly hit Nux with a realization. _They have never heard that music._

In defiance, Nux smirked and shrugged. However, he didn't meet Flay's eye. He knew what Flay was doing, trying to intimidate him. It was all words. Instead, Nux tightened his jaw and pushed through the resistance, knocking Flay in the arm.

Nux made it only a few steps before hands grabbed his shoulders. Before he could retaliate, Flay spun him and shoved him against the granite wall. A loud crack resonated down the hallway as Nux's skull struck stone. Grey stars burst across his vision, temporarily disorienting him. Flay suddenly shoved his forearm so forcefully into his sternum, Nux thought his ribs would crack.

"You've gone and claimed yourself one of Immortan's breeders and now think you're better than everyone?" Flay hissed. Nux squirmed under the suffocating hold, but Flay's pressure only tightened.

Flay leaned in close, and Nux could smell sickening sourness of old milk. "Now I got just one question. Just answer this. We've all been wondering... _How well does she ride?_ "

"Who'd wanna ride one with all that mileage?" Another Boy bellowed, and sick laughter ensued.

"Bet she's _real_ nice." Flay hissed, and leaned in close. "But you know, after that Full Metal Bitch usurper came in, there aren't enough rides to go round. That means you gotta _share_ , Boy."

Nux stared Flay straight in his one eye while scalding blood rushed to the back of his throat. All his life Nux had wanted to ride in battle, to die, but never before had he ever wanted to _kill._ Nux stood in Flay's clutch, picturing his agonizing death. In every droplet of sweat sliding down Nux neck, in the steam in his breath, every molecule of liquid in Nux's person dripped hatred. Yet he still said nothing.

Apparently this did not suit Flay, who was clearly waiting for a reaction. Flay snarled and sent a fist into Nux's bandaged side. White-hot fire engulfed Nux's chest, causing his legs to give way. Nux collapsed to his knees, dry heaving.

Flux walked a circle around him, spilling curses, before kicking him hard in the same stitched ribs. The torrent of flame blazed through Nux's body and he writhed on the dirt, moaning. Nux shielded his head with his arms, panicked, while the torrential blows came in waves of fire from every direction, muting the sound of the men's jeers. _I'm not ready!_ Nux's mind screamed, digging his nails into the dirt, _I'm not ready to die! Just one more time. I need to see her just one more time..._ A boot caught him in the jaw, spilling liquid copper over his lips.

After an eternity, the blows subsided. A splash of saliva hit Nux's cheek, but he didn't flinch. He just sucked hollow air.

Another War Boy picked up his crutch and smashed it against a support beam, sending splinters of wood everywhere. Feet strode inches past his bleeding face, with Flay the last to leave him in his crumpled pile.

"You're gonna die soft, Pup. Pathetic."

After what could have been hours, and once no sound but the thrumming vents remained, with every ounce of effort Nux slowly dragged himself up. He leaned against the wall, his face pressed against the cool stone as he took deep, excruciating breaths. He spat a mouthful of blood on the dirt and wiped his split lip. In slow, shaking steps supported only by the mountain at his palms, Nux began to limp back along the suffocating tunnel, alone.

He never made it to his Chevrolet.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Capable.**

"WAR BOYS!" boomed a lone voice.

"WAR BOYS!" echoed a raucous chorus. "BLOOD AND OIL! DIE HISTORIC!"

"C'mon ya mongrels, time to ride!"

The war ritual thundered between the mountains and out into the Wasteland. Something big must be happening, but their excitement was a distant drone to Capable's ears. All of her focus was centered on digging through the massive piles of rusted scrap towering over her in the junk lot. The sun-kissed metal scalded her fingers, so she shifted each piece in quick bursts.

"Are you almost done?" Toast groaned, anxiously glancing back at the Citadel.

"Almost. I know I dumped the box around here somewhere."

"You really think you'll be able to find it in all this trash? Also, you should wear gloves," Toast chastised her from her spot on a rock.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Capable grumbled. _You should wear goggles._ Nux's first groggy words to her after finding him alive floated into her thoughts.  
Capable took a moment to wipe her brow and survey the junk lot. A car graveyard, the area was the most exposed section of the Citadel, tucked behind the Central Butte and secured only by rusted razor wire. Out here, away from the protective watch of the Citadel, there was always the risk of getting picked off by Buzzards. Not keen to be anyone's meal, Capable scanned the piles of vehicle parts as fast as her mind would register.

It wasn't wise to be out here alone, which was why she had dragged Toast with her, whose patience was now beginning to strain: "You know Furiosa is going to murder you when she finds out we deliberately disobeyed her orders."

Capable tossed a hubcap to the side. "We aren't technically disobeying. She banned us from the yard, _not_ the junk lot."

"Yeah, I'm sure she's gonna be convinced by that." Toast picked up a rock and chucked into one of the piles, where it struck a car frame with a clang. "If you get me in shit again, I swear I'm going to drag you out for the Buzzards. Not the people kind though. The birds!"

"How touching," Capable sighed, before crawling over an industrial winch, past two telo-visions, and over something that looked like a motorbike without an engine. As she lifted up a large metal sheet, the steel pipes beneath her feet slipped out from under her. Losing her balance, Capable tumbled forward, but managed to catch hold of a car axle before careening head first into the sand.

Toast rolled around on the rock laughing, clearly enjoying the chaos. "Brilliant! Behold, the wife of a god!"

"Shut up. And it's _ex-_ wife." Capable released the axle and hopped into the sand, only to discover that her hands were now coated in black grease. "Ew!" At that moment, another pipe fell onto the others behind her, creating an earsplitting ring.

"So graceful," Toast snorted, and sauntered over to Capable. "Alright, it's about to get dark. I'm calling it. Let's go." She grabbed Capable's arm and began leading her towards the Citadel.

"No, wait!" Capable tried twisting her wrist free, to no avail. "Almost...done." Toast managed to drag her a few yards, in spite of Capable's resistance. "Just...one...minute..."

"Cape, you do this every time!" Toast chided, stopping to look back at her. "Things always take a million times longer than you promise. And I don't want to be cannibalized today, thanks. Let's just _go!_ " She walked forward again, grabbing Capable's hand instead. "Ugh! Gross!" Toast balked as Capable's grease-coated hand immediately slipped from her grip. Finally free, Capable took the opportunity to skirt back to the junk pile, smiling broadly.

"Seriously?" Toast groaned and crossed her arms. After a moment's hesitation, she dramatically dropped herself onto the back of a pickup truck. "Ugh, fine. You win. But this better be worth it."

"Trust me, when you see them on, it will," Capable grinned.

For the next few minutes, Capable worked away in silence until Toast finally peeped, "So have you made up your mind about the convoy yet?"

Capable froze and looked back at her friend. "No...why?"

"Well, if you _do_ choose to go, tell me first! And Nux should probably know soon. That 's only fair."

Capable shrugged. "Right. But I still have time to decide."

"What's to decide? You'd only be gone a few weeks, plus you actually get to shadow a medic and be a part of something important, just like you wanted!"

"I just...can't explain."

"Why, is it dangerous?" Toast's sat up straight. "You said it was just a supply run!"

"It is! We'll be picking up surgical equipment from the abandoned clinic, that's it. We might stop to resupply in the nearby bush camp, but Ruin said it should be perfectly safe." Swallowing, Capable had the urge to blurt out _but there's more up north than just a bush camp_ , but refrained.

Toast picked up a bent telo-vision aerial and fiddled with it. "Okay, good. But the convoy's leaving in a few weeks...I imagine Ruin probably wants an answer soon."

Capable returned her attention to the oily junk. "Yeah, I know. Just one thing at a time," she muttered, her eyes darting around at the dizzying tangle of broken objects. The news was still hard to process. Yesterday, when Ruin had offered her a spot in the convoy for her first field placement, Capable had been ecstatic. It was a chance to hone her skills and to finally become something of worth in this Wasteland. However, as more details about the trip emerged, and the dust settled from her initial excitement, only suffocating uncertainty remained.

Capable tossed a spring aside. Toast was right, of course. She really _should_ tell Nux. However, she had been waiting to make up her mind for certain before bringing him into it. _Today. I'll tell him today,_ she told herself. She crawled over some corrugated iron sheets, causing one to compress with a loud familiar crack. _A crack that sounded like wood to bone._ Capable shivered, shaking off the eerily familiar sound. To her right, she recognized a metal bin, and in the middle sat the distinct tangle of multi-colored bulbs. "Yes! Got it!" she called.

"Finally! I was seconds away from calling the Buzzards for you." Toast raised her brow at the box of cords in Capable's arms. "That's it? We were out all afternoon for _that_?"

"Yep."

"Well I hope it was worth the sunburn," Toast chimed airily and strode towards the Citadel.

"It was worth annoying you!" Capable called as she ran to catching up.

"It's too bad you found it, actually." Toast gave Capable a small shove before draping her arm over her closest friend's shoulder. "You would've made great Buzzard food."

~o~

A few hours after rations, Capable dragged her sore body up the gritty steps to the lift. It had been an exhilarating and exhausting day. Prior to her escapade in the junk lot, she had been busy all morning in the medical wing learning how to intubate a person. While she had mastered CPR, Capable was still finding it extremely difficult at getting a vein for fluids, which would be even harder in a moving vehicle. She recalled how easily Max had managed it with Furiosa, which made her struggle all the more aggravating. Regardless, Ruin said that she pleased with her progress, and Capable was excited to tell Nux about reaching new milestones today. It would also be a good opportunity to finally bring up her news _._

Dragging herself down the hall, Capable was disappointed to find her room empty and cast in the evening's shadow. Lighting an oil lamp, Capable occupied herself with her studies as she waited for Nux, trying to withhold the tendrils of nerves creeping into her thoughts. _Nux, I need to tell you something,_ Capable practiced to herself. To think that in a few weeks, if she decided to go, she could be on the north road...and closer to home than she had been in over eight years. Consuming thoughts of home displaced worry. If she was still with Roads, would they still have the farm? Would she be married now, if marriage still existed there? Would he have liked Nux?

Long after the last of the daylight disappeared, the sound of slow footsteps pulled her from her medical book. Glancing up, relief flooded over her to find Nux in the doorway. However, her throat quickly constricted at the sight. With his face contorted in pain, Nux limped inside using one arm to guide himself along the wall, while the other was tucked tightly to his chest. Capable gasped and rushed to his side. "Nux! Oh my gods, what happened?"

He shuffled past her without a word, keeping his gaze to the dusty earth. In the dim light, Capable could see that his jaw and throat were caked in black blood...much like his blood-smeared corpse in the canyon. The invasive memory knocked her back into the wardrobe.  
 _He's okay. He's not dead, he's just injured,_ she assured herself. _But how?_ Up close, Capable could see swollen purple gashes on his cheek and lip, while his chest was discolored with either dirt, bruises, or both. _Did he try to ride a car and_ _fall?_ Studying the inflicted injuries, and a mark that appeared to be a boot tread, Capable's stomach tightened. That was no car wound. Capable closed her eyes. _A flash of men hopping out of a car, running forward to inflict hell._ Rage immediately filled her lungs, boiling up, and she cried out, "Nux! Who did this to you?"

He didn't respond, but instead moved in pained, arching steps to the hot springs room and shut the door. Capable quietly pressed her cheek to the metal siding, where she soon heard the sound of rushing water. After a minute she stepped away, her heart screaming questions.

A few hours later the entire Citadel was asleep, and Capable was finding it harder to fight her heavy lids as she waited for Nux to emerge. When sleep finally began to overtake her in the late hour, she was quickly stirred by stumbling footsteps. A moment later, Capable sensed the bed sink as Nux delicately lowered himself down. He lay near the edge with his back to her. After some hesitation, Capable reached out and delicately placed a hand on his bare shoulder, but he flinched it away.

 _Talk to me._

 _~o~_

When they woke the next morning, Nux was in the same sullen spirits. "Hi," Capable smiled and went to touch his arm, but he quickly rolled from her reach and into a patch of sunlight. With the light illuminating his form, she had to contain a gasp. Angry blue and red bruises speckled the entirety his torso. A new massive, angry abrasion crawled under his left arm and around his ribcage. Capable's heart beat fast as worries of internal bleeding and new fractures stormed her thoughts.

"It was the other War Boys, wasn't it?" Her own voice sounded hollow in the hot dead air. No answer. "You can tell me. I'm just worried about you, hun. I want to help."

Nux shifted further away from her.

Capable lightly grazed her hand over a bruise across his shoulder blade, and Nux started as though surprised or in pain. "I think you might have broken ribs again. You should go see Ruin."

"No," came a grumble, his first word since his return.

"Alright. Please see one of the nurses, at least. You definitely need medical treatment." She lay silent for a minute, watching his body quiver with each pained breath. "Hungry? I can help you walk down."

The lack of response was answer enough. "Okay, that's fine. But you know you'll have to get up sometime."

~o~

Capable joined the others for morning rations, and Nux's normal spot on the bench across from her remained empty.

"Where's Nux?" Toast asked through a mouthful of stew. Cheedo and The Dag looked up from their plates.

"Umm..." Nux was clearly suffering a loss of face, and she didn't want to add broken pride to his list of injuries. "Nausea again," she lied. That seemed to satisfy their concern and they left the subject alone.

As Capable tried to force food down, she studied the face of every War Boy and Wretched, her skin blistering with fury. _It was one of you._ Rage bubbled up to her lungs with every smirk or glance sent her way. _One of you wanted to hurt the 'traitor'_ _._ _Or kill him?_

"You okay?" The Dag asked, brow raised.

"Huh?" Capable looked down and saw that that she was in the midst of gouging her knife into the table, creating chips in the stone. "Yeah. Sorry." At the end of the meal, the amount of food on her plate remained unchanged.

When Capable returned with food smuggled for Nux, she hoped he may have already ventured down to the medical bay. Instead, she found him in the same position on the bed as when she left him, sulking. Capable placed the food down and lay beside him, then draped an arm over his back. He tried to shake her off, but she resisted and kept her arm in place. "Hey, I know someone did this, and you don't have to talk about it. Just don't avoid treatment because you're too proud. That's not being a soldier, that's just being stupid. All you need is to get sick."

Nux relaxed under her arm. "Fine."

"Can I see?"

With a huff, Nux reluctantly sat up and allowed her to inspect the extent of his injuries. Capable chewed her lip to keep from showing distress, but it looked like he had fallen into a turbine. His body was a patchwork of bruises, some as dark as tar. His braced leg was an even bigger mess, scraped deep red where scar tissue chewed up his calf. Ruin was probably right: he would likely never walk normally again. Capable's heart sank with this setback. _He had been doing so well_ _!_ He was winning the battle against the enemy in his blood, building muscle, and now he looked so fragile again...Just because some War Boy or Boys decided to inflict hurt upon him.

She gripped her fists as anger rose in her once again. "Nux, you need to tell someone what happened. We need to get whoever did this to you."

Nux jolted, and vigorously shook his head. "No, can't do that."

"Fine, then I will."

Nux sat upright. "Wanna get killed? It's not worth it. Just...please don't give them a reason to hurt you. Don't get involved any more than you already are."

Capable peered at him sideways. _Already are?_ "Fine, but we have to _at least_ tell Furiosa," Capable urged. While she wasn't looking forward to another icy talk her Imperator, she would bear the discomfort for Nux. "She could smoke them out, feed 'em to the Buzzards!"

Nux's body went rigid, and he grabbed her hand. "No. Not her. Just...can't we forget it all?" He rubbed his eyes roughly. "She's asked too much of me...it would be such a failure. Promise you won't say anything to anyone, to her. _Please_."

Facing Nux's petrified expression, his rough hand shaking in her fingers, Capable had to look away. She had thought that she had already seen him at his most vulnerable, a blood-caked broken body fading in and out of death under the stars. She had been wrong. "Okay," she frowned, gripping the bed sheet. If that's what you want."

"Thanks'un," Nux sighed and let go of her hand. Capable shook off her own embarrassment on witnessing his loss of face, and returned her attention to his injuries. There was a noticeable dark purple splotching around the bandage covering his old rib injury, so she pointed at it. "That looks atrocious."

Nux sat straight and began carefully peeling off the bandage. He sucked air through his teeth when the tape tugged at his swollen skin. Once removed, Capable gasped. The entire region under his arm was purple and inflamed. She lifted his arm and saw that the stitches in the skin had been torn out, revealing what might be muscle below. "You need to see Ruin. Now!"

He shook his head. "Hell no."

"So what? You're just going to be that War Boy who walks around with an open wound?"

Nux shrugged. "Sure."

"Ugh! Nux, stop being so stubborn. This is bad! It won't heal if we don't stitch it up."

He blinked at her, then said, "You do it."

"What?" Capable gaped, dropping his arm.

"You were jus' reading about it the other day. You could do it!"

"Yeah..." Capable went flush. "But that's reading."

"And I saw you practicing stitching on that dead crow. And the feetball."

"Football."

"Right. So you know how to then," he replied, haughtily.

"So you're saying," Capable spoke slowly, "you would rather have your untrained girlfr– _me_ – stick a needle through you without pain medication just so you don't have to travel _literally_ fifty feet and down to have a skilled professional do it and not kill you."

"Right."

Capable rolled her eyes and groaned. "This is why men don't live as long. No, Nux!"

Nux shrugged, "Suit yourself," then lay back down with his arms stretched over his head, exposing his angry wound.

"Ugh!" Capable threw her arms up. As much as she was loath to admit it, it would be amazing to have a human subject. After a moment's hesitation, she stood up. "Fine! But you better not blame me if you die of an infection."

Capable grabbed her medical bag and dumped it beside him. She pulled out the tactical suture kit and her book for reference. "No complaining about the pain, either." She dragged the bag to her side and pulled out gloves and a new suture. "Lucky for you there's some topical painkiller."

"Horray," Nux replied flatly.

Nux lifted his left arm and rested it on Capable's shoulder. With determined focus, she carefully cleaned the area of dirt and blood, sprayed anesthetic, and used tweezers to remove the strands of the torn stitches. Next, she delicately drew out the curved suture needle with forceps. Fortunately it was only a small section that needed to be re-seamed.

"Ready?" she asked.

Nux shrugged.

Capable took a big breath and pushed the first stitch through his inflamed skin. She sensed him flinch. From the corner of her eye she saw his cheek muscles tighten as he clenched his jaw, but he never said a word. She didn't think she was actually capable of pulling a thread through a conscious person, especially Nux, but she was happy to have proven herself wrong. While her heart raced throughout the whole process, she managed to still the shaking of her hands. Luckily for him she had mastered the knot technique...He could thank her knitting skills for that.

After making the last tie and applying some antiseptic, Capable chirped, "Done!" and sat back. When it was all over, Nux had eight new spiders crawling along his side. Gently raising his arm over his head, Nux peered down to admire them. "Nice." Curiously, he reached out toward the spiders.

"Ah! Don't touch it!" She cried, shoving his hand away. Capable sighed. "On that note, I should probably go grab you some antibiotics." She stroked his shoulder and leaned over to kiss him on the left cheekbone, the one place that didn't appear blue.

Nux nodded in thanks, then lay down and closed his eyes, clearly both exhausted and relieved.

~o~

Two weeks would pass since Nux's attack, and while his body gradually healed, the bruises to his spirit still lingered. For the first week after the assault, Nux rarely left the room. However, it was just as well, since he had to endure his final week of treatment. It seemed a good enough excuse for Nux to hole himself away from the world. He fared better during this final round, bearing the toxins injected into his veins with stoic stubbornness.

Since the night of the attack, Capable moved through the Citadel under a heavy fog. Her new routine involved tuning her ears to any echo of trailing footsteps. She studied every passing face with suspicion, and avoided the dim innards of the Citadel. Every day she braced for more repercussions, but somehow they never came. However, that didn't mean there were no aftershocks. Nux no longer ate with the other Boys, even Auroch, despite some of their pleadings. The night raids had also increased, which meant that Capable spent many sleepless nights half-heartedly treating raucous, injured War Boys, her attention split by worries of whether Nux was safe alone.

It was a quiet, grey evening as Capable made her way up by herself after rations. Another day had come and gone, yet she still hadn't brought up her news. _Nux, I need to tell you something._ The words always hung on her tongue, but on seeing Nux so fragile, she never could get them to spill out. Maybe tomorrow, she would tell herself, again and again. The more the days counted down, the more the decision weighed on her, turning her arms and legs into iron. These thoughts even drained her focus during medical training. She would be dressing a wound, and her mind would wander along a small dirt road of red earth, with the sound of chickens and the crack of iron...The gritty taste of chewy dried meat from underground... _And the men jumping out of their vehicle, kicking up red dust._

As she walked up the steps, a tall War Boy crossed her path. She squeezed her nails into her palms. _Are you the one who needs to suffer?_

Instead of heading upstairs, she had a sudden urge to detour to a familiar spot that she hadn't visited for months now. Her rock outcrop below the skull, where she spent many an hour waiting for a comatose Nux to make up his mind about whether he'd like to live or die. She gazed with half open eyes past the mammoth rock buttes towards Gas Town and beyond. The evening sky was a vibrant blue without a single wisp of vapor. Stunning, but unremarkable. Just like every day here. Capable felt a surge of rage at the earth. How she longed for grey skies and foggy nights. Clouds and rain that ruined plans and kept you hostage inside from the elements. Any time a dust storm passed and lightning shuddered across its ceiling, there would be a millisecond of child-like giddiness that _today_ could be the Great Downpour. Alas, the clouds would always pass, taking their electric, flickering hope with them.

There had been one Great Downpour though, a year prior...Only she had spent it locked in the bedroom within the Vault, the storm just out of reach...

 _Joe had covered the window with a sheet of iron, blocking the glass view. As the full storm hit, Capable could only hear the drum of water on the glass pane. She tried to pry the screws out of the sealed window with her fingers. After desperately scratching, her fingers began to bleed, so she gave up and threw herself onto her rickety bed. Why did she have to pick TODAY of all days to fight him? The reverberation of thunder tickled her bare feet and made ripples in the glass of water beside her._

 _The other wives were out in the main vault. They had all long given up trying to get the door open for her, and judging by their occasional shrieks of delight, it was evident that they were enjoying the rapid drumming of water on their glass prison...and maybe something more? Yes, it seemed that Rictus had removed a pane for them to romp in the rain._

 _Lying splayed out on the bed, Capable wondered what rain looked like on glass. Was it the same as spraying a hose on a windshield? Can you still peer through it? Does it bounce and make everything impossible to see, like when you try to open your eyes under the hot springs?_

 _She drank and drank the water by her bedside but still felt parched._ _If there is too much rain, is it possible to drown standing in it?_

 _After some time, Capable sat up and dug her nails into the grey mattress. The longer the rain poured, the more she feared she would never get to feel it on her skin. Taste it. Anger bubbled in her throat and she stormed across the room, kicking books and shoes and anything in her path. She threw herself back on the bed, face muffled by the pillow, and screamed her own thunder._

 _She knew exactly what Joe was doing by punishing her, but it still didn't make it any easier. She had been through unimaginable cruelty, but this indignity in denying her the most basic of human needs –water, freedom – was just as unforgivable._

 _Later that night, her fears came true and the rain trickled to a stop. Its absence left a numb, pulsing vacuum in her ears. Capable lay on the bed in a miserable slump, ready to evaporate away with the sun. The grind of the latch to the door finally sounded. She stiffened, anticipating the heavy boots of Immortan. Instead she heard light footsteps, and looked up to the silhouette of a woman she had only seen every few moons...Furiosa. In her one hand was a small tin, and within it a catchment of rainwater..._

Capable brought her knees to her chest. That tin...Water so precious it tasted of stars, of...pennies. Nux had once asked if she had tasted rain...strange how she seemed to have forgotten about that little tin. That tiny gesture from Furiosa had been enough of a reason to keep surviving through that last horrid year, even when it looked like her own life was trickling to a stop. Her stomach tied knots thinking of Furiosa. She swallowed the ill feeling, and instead fixated on a new thought.  
Maybe Nux needed his own tin. Something to keep him fighting.

~o~

The next day after her training session, Capable stopped by the bustling engine bay. The sight before her was enough to get her own heart pounding, so she ran up to fetch Nux. He was still resting around midday, which had been unlike him before the attack. Feeling renewed determination, Capable shook his shoulder. "Hey. Let's go down. I saw something amazing in the hanger!" This would definitely cheer him up, and maybe she could finally bring up her news.

"Not really feelin' up for that," Nux grumbled through glazed eyes. He had been hurting quite a bit in his back and left arm lately.

"C'mon, Nux..." She playfully crawled over him and flopped by his side, then leaned in close to gently kiss his healing split lip. This seemed to catch his attention, for his eyes brightened. She tapped his cheek. "I've got something good in mind."

With some further coaxing, Capable and Nux made their way down. The journey was always slow going now, since Nux had to manage without a crutch. He used the wall to hobble, his mouth occasionally twitching at the pain. As he moved, Capable noticed something. He walked smaller, as if cowering from a world that was ready to snarl and bite at any moment.

Capable took his hand when they reached the ground level, but as they passed a small group of War Boys, Nux immediately pulled it away. Capable frowned, but her concern dissipated as soon as they entered the immense hanger and she witnessed Nux's eyes widen in wonder...just as she had hoped. The fully repaired War Rig stood before them in the center of the engine bay, just as formidable as the day it swept them away to freedom. Dozens of War Boys and higher ups clamored over it, prepping it for its maiden voyage to Gas Town. The raucous celebrations Capable had heard in the junk lot weeks earlier had actually marked the end to the gas embargo, thanks to Furiosa's negotiations. Today the War Rig would be leading the charge on a simple gas run. With fuel now flowing out of every pipe, and with rations raised, a contagious and hyperactive frenzy was spreading throughout the Citadel.

"C'mon boys, we have two runs today! If you're not in Alpha Unit with the War Rig, get your ass to Hanger Two for the debrief!" Furiosa bellowed through the wide cavern. She looked even more hunched than the last time they ran into her, and her face was still speckled with sweat. "I need every War Boy in Beta to hurry the fuck up! Time is crucial, if we don't get the gas by sundown the goddamn Scavengers will!"

Hanger Two...That must be where Max was. Capable was suddenly amused at the thought of Max giving a lecture. She was tempted to go and see what he could possibly say, but Nux was too occupied with watching some War Pups play around with a small motorbike. The kids could barely reach the pedal, but they still skidded around the room in exuberant play. Nux fidgeted uncomfortably in his grey shirt. It was a rare sight to see him in one this time of day, but it helped to conceal the remaining bruises. Capable tried to point out the new additions to the War Rig, but he was too distracted by the Boys working on the vehicles, his expression giving away both his fear and envy.

When Max returned from the Debrief, Nux spent some time asking about the Interceptor, which was also near completion. However, Nux's eyes kept jumping back to the other War Boys, especially those prepping the Rig. After Max left, Nux tugged his own sleeve, his face sullen. "Think I'm gonna head up."

"Well, did you want to go work on your Deluxe? I can help you," Capable urged.

"No, that's okay. Feeling a tad off. Think the last of the treatment is hitting me. Just wanna lie down."

It was nice that he would lie to her to save her feelings. Capable wrapped her arms around herself. "Maybe you shouldn't go up alone."

"They already sent their message," he replied, grimly. "I'll be 'right."

Capable watched Nux walk off alone. Her stomach sank. She was the one who brought him down, hoping that showing him the Rig would be the tin to liven him up. Instead, it just seemed to remind him of the unattainable. "What's a War Boy who can't ride?" she muttered aloud. Suddenly, the smallest of ideas, a faint drop, splashed down. She paced a few steps, and the idea grew into a downpour and washed away the last of her sullen thoughts. Capable rushed off into the junk lot, her skin trembling with excitement.

~o~

Once in the familiar open space of the junk lot, Capable set to work combing through the section that she had explored only weeks earlier. There was a chance that it had been melted down for scrap by now, but after only a few minutes searching, she spotted the familiar handlebars beneath a pile of metal sheets. Scrambling over the assorted junk, she excitedly tugged at its frame, but the vehicle refused to budge.  
Capable spent the next twenty minutes shoving away the heavy alloy sheets, and soon her hands and clothes were covered with rust chips. With a final heave, she managed to free her prize from the tangle of metal and dragged it into a clearing. To her delight, the Old World vehicle was in marvelous condition. The gears a little stiff and noisy, its blue frame speckled with hints of rust, but definitely useable. Those punctured tires could easily be patched. After retrieving her tools and Nux's engine grease, Capable spent the rest of the afternoon working on it. It was quite a repair job, but by the time the setting sun dipped below the razor wire, she had brought it into working order.

~o~

The following day, Capable coaxed Nux from their room to see her find. Taking long, exaggerated steps, Nux followed reluctantly. She ran ahead, her heart racing, but often had to stop and wait. Nux moved down the stairs at a crawling pace, since any pressure on his heel would shoot pain up his bad leg. _Who would have thought a War Boy would have a hard time keeping up_?

She dragged him out into the junk lot by the hand and stopped by the largest pile of scrap. "Look!" she gestured at the vehicle leaning against a worn truck tire.

Nux took a step forward and scanned for any others, before turning his attention to where she was pointing. He shrugged. "What is it?"

"What?" Capable balked. "You don't know what this is?"

Nux shook his head slightly, then shifted his weight and kicked a stone. "Not seen one ever." He stared at it for a minute, squinting in the bright sun. "Old motorbike skeleton?"

Capable let out an exaggerated sigh. The delight she expected in revealing this new toy was lost on Nux.

"It's a bike-cycle."

"A bike- _what_?"

"A vehicle."

At that word, Nux's eye lit with recognition. "Oh yeah! Heard about them down in the mech. Some were scavenged near Bullet Farm!"

"I thought this could help you heal your leg," Capable exclaimed. "It'll help you get strong without putting too much pressure on your foot."

"But Ruin says my leg won't heal," Nux frowned. He scratched at the last gnarled black stitch on his neck, the final remnant of his old friends.

Capable shrugged. "There's one thing I know about Old World doctors. There's nothing better than proving them wrong," she grinned. Capable grabbed his hand and lead his resistant body over to the bike. "You can build back your strength. Fight back." Squeezing his palm, she smiled, "Even ride again."

He turned to stare at her with those words. Nux approached the bike carefully, and ran a pale hand over the aluminum base. "Where's its engine?"

Capable laughed and shook her head. "It doesn't have one."

Nux's hand jumped as if receiving a shock. He took a step back and tilted his head. "That's...that's not natural."

"Okay, no, it doesn't need an engine. _You're_ the engine," she grinned. Capable watched his face transform from fascination to a wide-eyed gape. It occurred to her that what she had just said may have been a tad...existential.

Nux stroked the handle and nodded. "Okay, now I like that. Like that a lot." He grinned widely. "Now where do I ride?"

It took more than a few wobbly starts. Just as Capable thought _maybe I should have brought him a trike-cycle_ after he fell for the fifteenth time, Nux finally got the hang of it. In an instant he was riding freely, and from his composure it was evident he was just delighted to _move_ again.

After he sped around for a while along the path, grinning, he paused beside her to fidget with the gears. At that moment, seeing him finally brighter, Capable found the words spill out before she could stop it. "Nux, you know, there's something...I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"The convoy," Nux muttered, his focus still on the bike, "Ruin wants you to go."

"What?" she gaped, incredulous. "But how did you..."

"Heard about the run happening and them taking medics. Plus figured as much, the way you've been chuffed about training."

Capable stood, mouth agape, unable to find words with this surprise. Maybe she didn't give him enough credit sometimes. "Yeah...Ruin thought it might be a good trial run, and it sounds safe. One of the medics is going to pick up supplies and visit a bush camp, so I'll be shadowing them. It's only supposed to take three weeks." She assured him, although her voice seemed to falter half way. She hesitated to include the part that they would be passing near her home town.

"Are you gonna go?" Nux asked brightly.

Capable shook her head. "I haven't decided yet. I just don't want to go if I know you won't be alright, especially...you know, with..."

Nux ignored the implication of the attack and clicked the gearshift on his bike. "When do they leave?"

"In a few weeks. The day after the dinner for Furiosa, actually." She swallowed. "Nux, will you be okay? If I go?"

Nux shrugged. "'Course! Figured you'd do a run someday. I mean, obviously rather have you here," he nudged his head at the Citadel, "but can tell you wanna be a medic more than Chrome. It's what you were manufactured to do. Know that feeling," he sighed, looking out passed the razor wire to the active vehicles in the distance.

Capable just stared, dumbfounded. Her heart slowed to a softer pace. While all the moisture had evaporated from her mouth, she was surprised to discover that she was grinning. To think, all this worrying, over all these weeks, and he was...supportive? There were still so many incredible things she was learning about him.

"Plus, you get to tell me all about it when you get back," he smirked.

"Right," she smiled, trying to suppress an odd sinking feeling. _When I get back._ She squeezed his hand and he wrapped his arm around her waist. Capable leaned in. "Thanks so much, hun. Gods you wouldn't believe how much telling you has been eating me up."

Nux nodded, then his attention gravitated back to the bike. "What this?" With his free hand he squeezed a dial on the handlebar, causing a sharp chime of a bell. Nux jumped, causing the two to break into laughter.

After a few minutes Nux kicked off again. He occasionally stood up as he rode, his tall frame slightly large even for this sturdy bike. It was hard to believe this was the same broken man who stumbled into their room two weeks prior, with skin painted every hue of pain. He raced around the junk lot like a natural, cackling, and Capable had a sudden glimpse of the fiery War Boy at the wheel of a rig, a Boy whose heart ran on oil.

After a few minutes Nux careened through a pile of bent hub cabs, which tumbled everywhere with a loud crash. Unphased, Nux hopped off and turned to Capable with a large grin. "Shine."

Capable looked down to the bike at his hand and raised her brow. The front wheel was bent at an odd angle.

"S'alright. Can fix that." He smiled, his first in a long time. "This. This is wicked." He placed the bike down to half limp, half run over to her. "Thanks, Cape!" he beamed, pulling her waist against his and into a long kiss.

~o~

The two brought the bike up to a fenced section of the agricultural terraces, where Nux would be able to practice without the threat of an assault, Buzzards, or riding off the roof. Leaving him to his new toy, Capable made her way to the morgue under the Main Butte, below where the Wretcheds resided. Ruin had invited Capable to see a full dissection, to both her excitement and horror. She turned a corner underground when a large War Boy ran into her.

"Excuse me," she muttered to the earth.

"No, 'scuse _me_ , darling." The War Boy called with a musical twang. Peering up, she saw a wide scar tattoo of a tire across his chest. Meeting his gaze, she noticed he was missing an eye. Her stomach churned in waves by the way he stood staring at her, consuming, unblinking. Capable made to go around, but the War Boy stepped to the side, blocking her path. "Hold on m'love, not so fast. Don't see you 'round the barracks much. Fancy a chaperone?" He smirked.

"I'm alright."

"Naw, pretty dangerous down 'ere. Can't control some of these men, especially around such a _lovely_ model. Think you might be needin' some protection?"

"I do just fine, thanks."

The rough War Boy shook his head. "What, with that lame pup o' yours? I hear he got broken down lately. _Tsk._ E's no good. Whatcha need is a _real_ man." He opened up his arms wide, grinning.

"When I see one, I'll let you know."

He hooted in laughter, his guttural voice reverberating down the empty chamber. He smiled at her, but his eyes burned with menace. "Quite the little firecracker, you." He took a step forward and reached a tarred hand to flick a strand of hair from her cheek. A greased finger graced her skin. "Better watch yourself round here, _sweetheart._ "

"Just try me." She pushed past and blocked out the final comments that floated in fumes behind her. Capable wasn't scared, she told herself. She had lived through enough hell to be immune to threats. She had faced the grimace of teeth, been stolen away from her home, so why would she be unsettled by a nameless War Boy? _I'm not scared._  
Regardless, as she made her way down to the morgue, Capable checked behind her with every few shaking footsteps.


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Nux.**

"Oy Nux, pass the hammer?" Toast called down from above, hanging half off the roof.

Nux paused his work on securing the balcony banister to dash over to the toolbox. As he reached the hammer up to her outstretched hand, the stitches under arm tightened and sent a small ribbon of pain down his side. "Cheers!" Toast chirped and disappeared from view.

As the sharp knocking on metal rang out, Nux took a much needed break to take in the organized chaos around him. The ceremonial building was a bustle of activity as the ex-wives scrambled to finish repairing the structure for Furiosa's evening. Built out of frivolity rather than necessity, the greenhouse adorned with marble pillars and flooring stood in sharp contrast to the gritty agricultural terraces. However, it was not immune to the cruel ravages of the desert wind, and had fallen into disrepair since Cheedo's wedding. Fortunately, any evidence of that cruel day had long been polished away by the sands.

Nux yawned and rocked against the wobbly white railing. It still felt strange being up here, in the heavens. While the entire Citadel had access to the terraces since the Siege, War Boys were seldom seen near this building. Perhaps due to its association with a god, or perhaps they didn't see any use for marble tiles or bleached wood.

Waiting for his second wind, Nux leaned over to watch The Dag. She was crouched in the sand just below the balcony, arranging skulls, stones, and hardy plants in a decorative manner. Capable had oddly referred to this as a garden, even though no food grew here. Glancing up, Nux could just see Capable's form wandering amongst the sea of green, on a quest to locate a spare hose. Directly behind her in the distance, high on the Central Butte, stood the radio tower. Since delivering the radio equipment to Furiosa many weeks ago, he had heard that they had actually gotten it working. One of the tactical radios had even been installed in the War Rig, to his smug delight. As he imagined tiny, invisible radio waves floating across the expanse, his eyes were drawn back to Capable, who had stopped in her tracks. Silhouetted against the late day's sun, Capable stared north, her braids lapping against her cheeks in the wind.

"So how're you liking your bike-cycle?" Toast called, yanking Nux's thoughts from Capable.

"Uh...S'good!" Nux replied, and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "It's helping my leg fix up faster, I think. Don't even need a sodding crutch anymore." He stomped his bad foot and grinned.

"You know, every time I come up here, you're riding. You've probably driven to the salt flats and back by now."

Nux hummed in agreement. He had spent most of the last two weeks up here riding in this Green Place. Just as Capable had predicted, it had ignited something in him. Though his muscles protested, and the tension in his leg was often agonizing, his flesh buzzed each morning in anticipation of riding stronger, faster.

"So why don't ya go ride down in the yard with the other War Boys? Can't be much fun here with us girls," The Dag teased from below.

Her words brought up the taste of bile, and Nux quickly refocused on the wobbly bannister. _It's ok. They don't know._ "Better route up here," he lied, praying they wouldn't press further.

"Well you'll be riding with the Boys with your own car soon, yeah?" The Dag called up again as Nux snatched a drill to secure the final screws. "I hear you and Cape have been sneaking down to the garage after midnight to, um, work on it."

"Really? In the middle of the night, just for a _car_?" Toast gasped, and flopped on her stomach to spy over the roof's edge. "So late, and secretive!"

"Uh..." Nux bit his cheek, his heart racing, desperate to divert any questions about the attack. "Yeah. She knows her way around my rig. That's certain."

Both women broke into giggles, and Nux blinked at them. "Around the _car_ ," he clarified, then quickly turned on the drill, warm-faced. The drill screamed, and the screw broke right through the wood.

It was true, though. After riding with the setting sun, Nux would often go down to work on his Deluxe into the late hours, sometimes accompanied by Capable after her training. He was intrigued by her natural dance around a vehicle, a quality he found oddly enamoring. While it was risky to go near the bunks, his growing strength had nurtured a stubborn defiance against the threat. Like any Wasteland inhabitant, he simply adapted to survive; he altered his route each day, studied the shadows and any odd creak, and relied on his tuned senses to keep him safe. Although there were occasional trailing looks and whispers in passing, to Nux's surprise Flay and the others stayed their fists.  
While his precautions may have been working so far, the threat still simmered. The other day, some Boys had made obscene gestures and comments to Capable as they passed. Nux had launched back to confront them, his blood bubbling hot, only to be restrained by Capable. "Just forget them," she had pleaded, "they're probably just chromed out."

Once finished with the balcony, Nux crawled onto the roof to help Toast. Numerous glass planes had shattered, leaving wide holes that had to be filled with whatever materials were available. As Toast handed Nux a box of nails, he yawned wide. "What's the matter? Can't handle a little hard work anymore? Or too many late nights out with Cape?"

Nux shrugged, his neck heating. "Naw, night fevers."

"Right." Toast nodded with a look of concern, and left the matter be. However, it wasn't exactly true. Nux hadn't had a night fever for at least two weeks now. Instead, Capable's nightmares had become more frequent and intense. She would wake him with distressed pleadings to figures unseen, rambling nonsensically about dogs, chickens, a road. As a result, a full night's rest had become a fleeting thing.

Just as he began hammering tin, he caught sight of Capable returning from the greenery, her morose face not embodying the spirit of the evening.

"Geez, Cape, you look right off. Ya sick or somethin'? Can't be ill for your trip tomorrow," The Dag gawked while sweeping sand from the beige marble floor.

"No, just...nerves."

Nux studied Capable through the glass plane under his palms. She had grown more subdued each day with her approaching trip. More affectionate, too, which he couldn't complain about. However, her anxiety was palpable just by the touch of her charged skin.

Capable began busying herself with securing a loose post that threatened to fall on any hapless passerby. The Dag came up to her. "So you gonna bring us back something nice from up north? Sugar? Seeds?" She asked.

"You know this is a medical run, right?"

"Right...New men?"

"Um...I'll see what I can do."

When Capable hopped down, The Dag grabbed her hand and cooed, "Y'know it's gonna be weird not having you here, even for a few weeks. Gonna miss you, darl." She pulled Capable into an embrace. "Plus without you to trail around all the time, Nux is gonna drive us _mental_."

Nux scowled but kept working on the roof, pretending not to hear.

"So why go far to the middle of nowhere?" The Dag asked, releasing her.

"It's not _nowhere_ , Dag _._ There are people out in that bush camp. And not Old World people...older." Nux's ears pricked, while Capable continued. "There's some surgery equipment near the camp, like proper tables and machines. We might even get to salvage an ambulance. Plus Major Rail is going," she quickly added.

"The field surgeon?"

"Yeah, so it'll be good to see him in action." Capable looked down at the marble tiles, frowning, as if something hung on her tongue.

Nux was trying not to think of tomorrow, though his self-assurances that it was a brief, safe trip were usually enough to calm his sinking stomach. The women grew quiet, so he directed his attention back to his work and pushed away the intrusive thoughts.  
After securing an alloy panel down, Nux heard a melodic humming and looked over to Toast on the opposite side of the roof. Her soft, savory voice drifted over to him on the dry air.

" _All of these ghost towns I keep traveling through..."_

The mournful tune numbed Nux's fingertips. He paused, trying to make out the next few words through the shrill wind. He gently set down his hammer to listen, willing the silence of the wind and his own breath.

 _..._

 _"If_ _you've_ _got visions of the past, let them follow you down_

 _For_ _they'_ _ll come back to you_

 _some day_

 _..._

 _And I found myself attached to this railroad track_

 _But_ _I'_ _ll come back to you..._

 _some day."_

...

"What's that?" he croaked when she finished.

"Just an Old World song. Why, wanna sing along?" Toast teased.

Nux shook his head, holding back a smile, and went back to his roof section. The wistful melody still swirled in his collarbone, and he tried to ignore the ghost of her words that still tickled his throat. _I'll come back to you...some day._

~o~

By the time the sun bid its farewell behind the Western Butte, the group had been waiting around the terrace for over an hour since finishing their preparations. Nux leaned against the wall and fiddled absently with his bike, giving an occasional chime of the bell. _Ring!  
_ Capable and the other women lounged about the stone steps leading up to the balcony, waiting. Their simmering impatience finally surfaced when Capable kicked up cloud of dust from the steps. "Where the hell is Furiosa? She was supposed to be here ages ago!"

"Well I hope as hell she didn't bail tonight. Otherwise I'll have done practically _shit_ to help her out," The Dag sighed, plopping herself down on a tattered pillow.

"But didn't you try to help her with the convoy supplies the other day?" Toast called down from the balcony.

"I did, but you think she'd let me?"

"At least we're trying," Toast sighed. "It's not our fault she's so bloody stubborn."

"Speak for yourself," Capable groaned. "What have _I_ done? I can barely get a word to her."

"Still?" Toast gaped. "It's been months! I thought you two were past all that by now."

Capable shrugged. "Suppose not." Nux watched her shrink against the bannister. _Guess the desert can't polish everything away..._

The Dag hopped up and scowled. "Ugh! Where the hell is she?" She looked up at Toast. "You didn't forget to tell her did'ya?"

 _Ring!_

"Of course not!" Toast snapped, "What am I, an idiot? She told me she had a few meetings first before stopping by. Max is waiting on her too, and he would tell us if something was up."

Cheedo appeared at that moment with a heavy box of kitchenware. "Is she here yet? I need to get started on the meats."

The Dag tore off a piece of broken marble from the stair. "Bet you a pound of crickets she's not coming."

"I told you, she will!" Toast urged, although less confident this time.

 _Hope so._ Nux pressed a foot against the wall, and absently chimed the bell again.

"Would you _stop_ that?" The Dag snapped.

"Hey!" Capable growled, spinning around.

Nux looked at The Dag, then back to Capable, and rang the bell.

The Dag jumped up. "Boy, you seriously want to –"

"Okay!" Toast cut in. "Can everyone just relax? Not the way to start the night. Let's just make this easy and go fetch her. Capable?" Toast turned to her friend and gestured for her to follow.

"Um, sorry...I've got to..." Capable began, but the rest of her words disappeared into the wind.

"You serious? Honestly Capable, let it go already!" Toast huffed, standing up. "Fine. Nux? Care to join me?"

Nux also hesitated. The women were not aware of the attack as far as he knew, and he wasn't keen on going down into War Boy territory when it wasn't necessary.

"Nux? Feeling strong enough for it?" Toast stared at him, and after a moment of contemplation, he nodded. Toast grinned. "Good. C'mon, Rev Head."

~o~

Nux trailed Toast down through the greenhouse level and past his room in his shifting, hoping pace to keep up. Toast hummed as she moved along, and Nux once again enjoyed her velvet voice, a sharp contrast to the cold, gritty tunnel.

As they approached the lift, he and Toast passed a large War Boy carrying a saw. Nux paused until the Boy passed him without a second glance. His hands were suddenly numb. A moment later another War Boy shoved between them, bearing only one eye. Nux did a double take, but it wasn't Flay.

"You alright there?" Toast asked.

"Yeah, just smarts." He shook his right leg, feigning pain.

As they entered the lift with the War Pup on duty, Toast turned to him and leaned against the grated barrier. "So how you feeling about...tomorrow?"

"What d'you mean?" he asked, watching the mountain's rough skin rush by in a blur.

"Well, your girl is heading out into unknown territory. You seem remarkably calm about it."

Nux scratched at the metal siding, watching flecks of paint trickle to the floor. His throat drew tight. "Well, she can handle herself."

Nux grew silent, churning tomorrow's unfortunate promise on his tongue. He stared at the canyon to the east, the start of Capable's route, when Toast came to stand next to him. He sensed a hand glide down his shoulder, so he looked over at her. "Not gonna get jealous, Capable off with a bunch of fit commanders and feisty War Boys for three weeks?"

Nux huffed at the suggestion, trying to ignore the pressure of her hand. "Know most of 'em going, they're not like that. _She's_ not like that." He had the sudden sensation of being...tested. _Why did Toast the Knowing always have to be so goddamn sly?_

Releasing his arm, she met his darkened eyes. "But aren't you gonna worry about her?"

He gave a slow nod. "'Course. Don't think I ever worried about anyone, ever, till now. But...she'll be happy. How 'bout you? You gonna worry?"

With this question, Toast's eyes flew to the shifting landscape, and Nux saw the corners of her lips tighten. "With every heartbeat," she whispered. They both stood in shared silence, and Nux knew their thoughts aligned. When the lift came to a stop, Toast was the first to head off and glanced back at him with a funny, sideways grin. "You know, Rev Head," she said, stepping out past a War Pup, "I'm glad she dragged your corpse back."

Nux followed her down the stairwell in a fog, intoxicated by her words. His stomach still turned flips as he mentally trailed Capable's route through dangers unknown, but he felt odd comfort knowing he wasn't alone in his concern.  
Nux and Toast soon reached the Skull Face, the command center of the Citadel, where a periscope hung near the pumps for the water, now set to low. The room was surprisingly barren, empty except for a heap of clothes under the water pumps... that was moving.

"Oh my gods!" Toast cried, and to Nux's surprise, she rushed over to the pumps. Confused, Nux followed, and at that moment the hunched form sat up. Nux's heart shuddered at recognition. Furiosa's head rolled forward, her eyes glassy and faded.

"Furiosa!" Toast leapt forward to support her, then placed a hand on her neck. "Oh my gods, you're burning up!"

"I'm fine..." came Furiosa's frail voice.

"Holy cross. We need to get you to the medical bay. Now!" Toast dragged Furiosa upright and pulled her arm over her own shoulder. Furiosa made a feeble attempt to stand on her own, but her knees wouldn't stop shifting.

"Go get Max!" Toast cried at Nux, who stood frozen, staring at his leader. For a brief moment their eyes met, and Furiosa gazed through him with eyes clouded in smoke. " _Nux!_ " came Toast's angry voice again, "I said _go get Max_!"

Snapped from his trance, Nux raced out and flew down the stairs as fast as his leg would allow. The pain followed with each step, but he could grit his teeth through it. He pushed past War Boys, his fear of them replaced by steel determination. Max was working on the War Rig, recently returned from its second successful run. "Brother!" Nux wheezed, his lungs grasping air, "She's...Furiosa. She's..."

Without a second glance, Max tore passed him. Nux followed far behind, limping on his chewed up leg.

~o~

The group huddled in the junk lot as the sun finally disappeared below the horizon, awaiting news. They had come down here once the chlorinated fumes of the medical wing grew too unbearable. The wing was easily accessible by stairs from here, and with the greenhouse lift less reliable now that the Pups were off to bed, it seemed a good enough place to wait. However, Nux had the feeling that they all just wanted to get out of the Citadel, even for a short a while. The risk of being picked off by Buzzards was a distant thought compared to the worries hanging heavy over their heads.

Sitting in a loose circle on the sandy path between towers of car parts, no one spoke a word. Capable tapped her foot, while The Dag fiddled with a crow skull, prying it apart at the sutures. Nux sat next to Capable, his mouth dry. He couldn't shake the image of Furiosa's hunched form in Toast's arms. A sudden shuddering desperation and reverence surged through his veins. _She has to be ok. Just has to_. Devotion to the War Boys happened through birth right, but with Furiosa, it was something he had actually _earned_. On the Fury Road, she could have executed him after his vicious attempts to bring her harm, and rightfully so. Instead, she had trusted him to look out for the girls, to drive the Rig, even when he didn't deserve the chance. Nux glanced over at Capable, who sat in a tight ball with her chin on her knees. While Capable had taken his blinders off to the world, it had been Furiosa who had brought forth his own redemption. And now, Furiosa, his leader, might _die._ Her milky eyes swirled in his vision, and Nux suddenly couldn't stop smelling fumes.

It was dark when Toast finally emerged from the darkness and shuffled through the sand towards them. Everyone froze with hitched breaths, until Toast gave a reassuring smile. "She's alright. Awake, and actually coherent now that her fever's down." She glanced at Nux. "Ruin said it's lucky we found her when we did with that temperature."

The women exhaled almost in unison. 'Thank gods!" The Dag groaned. Nux felt his airways open up and took a deep, long needed breath.

Cheedo collapsed in the sand next to Nux, her hair splaying out like a fan. "Phew! What the heck happened?"

Toast dropped down across from Nux. "It's that knife injury again. Apparently the inside of her chest's been infected for a while, but Furiosa never told anyone, _of course_. She was even up and walking around a minute ago, resisting any help. Ruin got so flustered she even threatened to strap her down."

"Can we go see her?" The Dag asked.

Toast flicked some sand. "No, sorry. She's resting, and she'll need to be put under soon to clean out the wound. Max is with her, but Ruin says that's probably enough. He'll come let us know if anything changes."

"There's all that food ready in the kitchen. Maybe we could still bring some to her?" Cheedo chirped, looking around at them.

"She's gonna have surgery. How good's that?" The Dag replied and chucked a stone at an oil drum. At that moment thunder roared over the canyon with flickering lightening. Nux and the others paid it no mind.

"Yeah, today's right off. Sorry, mates," Toast sighed.

"Doesn't matter. Not really the time for celebrating anymore," Capable frowned, staring into the earth.

"I know," Toast smiled sadly. "Just wish there was more we could do."

Cheedo let out a loud groan. "All that food..." Reluctantly, she pulled herself up from her spot sprawled in the sand. "Unless you all want it, guess I better give it to the kitchen or sewer staff. No use it getting spoiled."

"That's fine. I'm not really hungry anymore anyway." Toast sighed. The rest of the women nodded in agreement.

"So what do we do now?" Nux asked, raising his brow.

Toast shrugged. "We wait."

~o~

Nux sat between Capable and Toast in the warm sand, watching the crescent moon slowly emerge behind lace clouds. The desert wind cut under his skin, making him shiver. While pain was a War Boy's armor, cold never suited him. The ex-wives apparently felt it too, since after a few minutes, Toast and The Dag disappeared into the junk lot and returned some time later with a wide iron basin. Nux observed with fascination as the women fussed over the bin, adding pieces of particle board and old furniture. Soon, with the help of some guzzoline, the women had a roaring fire at their feet.

Cheedo returned from the kitchens as the fire swelled into a consuming beast, dropping herself next to Toast. "Aw well. The staff seemed pretty chuffed about the food. At least it's not all for waste."

Nux nodded absently, watching the embers jump and spit. The flames hungrily devoured whatever Toast fed it, reducing a worm eaten stool to soot in minutes. Nux tried to listen to the Citadel, holding his breath, but the only sound was the crack of the fire.

"Well, this is right shit," Toast sighed, stabbing the flames.

"At least you guys found her. Could've been much worse!" Cheedo insisted.

"I know, it's just...I know Furiosa was looking forward to this evening," Toast retorted. "That's what's so rubbish."

"What? You spoilt the surprise? Good one Toast. That's so very like you."

"No, _Dag_ , I didn't spoil anything. She thought we were just meeting to chat. She had something exciting to tell us, and was hoping to tell us all together."

"What? What was it?" Nux chirped, perhaps with a little too much vigor.

"I don't know if I should say. It's...classified, so to speak."

"Ha!" The Dag laughed. "Since when have _you_ been the one to trust with secrets? You told me the second you found out Cape was banged up a few months ago."

"Hey! _That_ was in confidence, _Dag_!" Capable snapped, "And seriously Toast? Honestly, if you want to gossip about me, might as well get your facts straight. You already know I'm not _..._ pregnant." She looked over to Nux, her face growing rouge even in the dim fire light, and whispered, "Sorry you had to hear that."

Nux's neck grew tight. "S'alright." He refrained from mentioning that he had long since figured that out.

"So what did Furiosa want to tell us?" Capable piped, clearly trying to change subjects.

"No, it's not my news to give." Toast sighed. "Guess we'll just have to wait."

After a few minutes of cool silence, The Dag sighed airily. "So this has been right fun." She leaned over and grabbed her large satchel, from which came a muffled clinking of glass. Reaching in, she pulled out a few scratched, cloudy bottles, with amber liquid glinting in the firelight. "Who wants to make it better?" With a devious grin, she grabbed one bottle and tugged at the welded top. "Who knows...maybe even loosen Toast's tongue?"

Nux swallowed, feeling dizzy at the sight of the familiar, swirling liquid. With a furnace steadily growing at his feet, and the stars blinking awake, it was clear that the night was only just beginning.


	15. Chapter 15

*** Content Note:* Some references to history of sexual assault, confinement, and PTSD-like symptoms.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Nux.**

One after another, The Dag jammed the four opaque bottles into the sand before the group, grinning widely.

"Is that...?" Cheedo squinted at the glass, but Nux recognized the moonshine instantly.

"Yeah, Joe's stuff. Tastes right like paint thinner, but it does the job." The Dag picked up a bottle and sloshed around the amber liquid, catching firelight. "Found it when I was out looking for firewood."

"Woo!" Toast cheered, leaning over to pluck a bottle from the sand. "Finally, some good news tonight."

However, she frowned as her eyes fell to The Dag's protruding belly. "But should _you_ be drinking?"

The Dag shrugged. "S'alright, you lot go ahead. Watching you all get stupid pissed is fun enough for me."

Nux swallowed. Seeing that familiar cloudy bottle made his teeth ache from grit. He recalled that hot morning when he had woken up in the yard with a mouthful of sand and a scorpion crawling across his wrist. Unlike Slit and the other Boys sprawled out a few feet away, he had not had the drunken foresight to pass out on a vehicle. Not long after, the morning ritual of revving engines created the sensation of glass shards in Nux's skull.

"Perfect. I think I need this tonight," Capable mumbled and made for a bottle, but Toast pulled it from her reach. "Go easy. You have to ride out tomorrow, remember?"

"I'll be fine." Capable snatched the decanter. "We don't leave 'till the afternoon, anyway." She scanned around the edge of the fire for something, eventually picking up a seatbelt bracket from the sand. After a few attempts, she managed to pop the cap off into the flames.  
Nux watched in fascination as Capable leaned back and drew a heavy swig. She shook her head, sending rust-colored braids spinning around her shoulders. "Ugh! Foul!"

Wiping her chin with the back of her hand, Capable pushed the bottle into Nux's lap. Shaking off his aversion, he brought the moonshine to his scarified lips and let it burn down his throat.

"How is it?" The Dag asked.

Nux shuddered. "Same as I remember. Like drinking glass."

The bottles made a few trips around the fire. While Nux might have preferred Chrome's high, the moonshine was as good as any means to feel numb. With so many empty stomachs and sun-worn bodies, it didn't take long for the sharp drink to lighten the general mood. Even Capable seemed a little less dour.

As Cheedo excitedly regaled them on all the wonderful foods they had missed out on, Toast left the group to check on Furiosa. She returned a few minutes later, dropping herself into the space between Nux and Capable. "She's being prepped now. They managed to clean up most of the wound already, so surgery shouldn't be too invasive."

"Will she be okay?" Cheedo asked.

"Looks like it. Ruin didn't seem too concerned."

The group revelled in this good news. Once their chatter settled, The Dag looked around the group. "While we wait, anyone wanna make this a tad more interesting? Make a game of it, like in the Old World?"

Cheedo was sprawled out in the sand. "Like what? That stuff is hard enough to get down."

"Exactly! How about…" The Dag paused, thinking. "…How about you don't have to drink on the round if you answer a question honestly. If you refuse, or someone catches a lie, you gotta drink. Then it's your turn to ask. To make it fair, I'll drink this foul prenatal stuff that I'm supposed to be taking anyway," The Dag smirked, holding up a canteen containing bitter herbs and water. When the group looked at her hesitantly, she added. "C'mon! This'll be fun! It'll help us get to know each other better."

"I've lived in the same room with you for six years. If there's anything else I don't know about you by now, I don't _want_ to know," Toast groaned. "But I guess it'll pass the time."

As the group shrugged in agreement, The Dag smiled and clasped her hands together. "Perfect. I'll start. Umm..." She peered around the circle. "Toast! So what's that news from Furiosa?"

"What? This game's just a sham so you can pry!" Toast cried.

"Naw, it's just a fun little thing! Feel free to answer or pay the toll, so to speak."

"Ugh, fine. She said she's gonna elope with Max."

Nux startled, and the sudden movement awakened old injuries in his torso. He sucked in air through his teeth until the throbbing subsided.

"What? _Really?_ " Cheedo gasped.

"You're such a bad liar," The Dag smirked. "That means drink up."

"Fine!" Toast grabbed a bottle and took a sour gulp, all the while giving The Dag a crude gesture with her free hand. Toast wiped her lip. "Shame. Her story is _such_ a good one, too."

"Can you at least tell us who it involves?" Cheedo pleaded.

"Too bad, turns over," Toast huffed and held the bottle out for Nux on her right. The golden liquid sloshed over his hand when he took it.

Toast smirked. "Ooh I've got a question. So…Nux. Have you and Capable f–"

"Hey!" Capable cut in before Toast could finish, "I know where this is going, and can we all agree _now_ that the intimate details of our lives are off limits?"

"Well that's not much fun, then," The Dag frowned. Meanwhile, Toast rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, Toast," Capable pleaded. Nux squeezed the bottle, watching the two women.

When Toast gave a pleading face, Capable snatched the bottle from Nux's grasp and took a sip.

"So that's a no?" Toast asked, suppressing a grin.

"It's a refusal to acknowledge the question," Capable retorted with crossed arms.

"Actually, The Dag was right. This _is_ fun!" Toast smirked. "Fine, new question then. Nux…" She grew quiet, tapping her knee. Nux's stomach flipped, foreseeing the unfathomable questions he would have to dodge. _Why aren't you off with the War Boys now? Where did you get that new bruise? When Capable's away, what private thoughts about her consume you?_

Toast's soft eyes met his. "Nux…what's your old name?"

 _That's unexpected._ Nux's mouth opened, but he didn't respond.

"Ooo, tell us!" Cheedo beamed.

"Dunno," Nux finally mumbled, scratching his neck.

"Come on Nux, we won't tell anyone," Toast coaxed.

Nux shook his head, frowning. "Honest, can't remember! We're not supposed to once we're Pups. It a bad omen, might spoil the guzzoline. But sometimes when I'm tired or my mind wanders, I get a sense of it, but never quite enough to grasp it."

"I know that feeling," Capable sighed, her first time speaking since Toast's prying. "I had a family name once, but I can't remember it anymore and it's been driving me mad!"

 _A family...name?_ Nux shook his head at her in confusion, so Cheedo interjected. "A surname. Like Max Rockatansky." Nux looked at them all blankly.

"You know," Capable continued, "the word that tells you where you're from."

"But…he's from the Wasteland." Nux responded, confused.

"No, he came from the Old World," Toast piped. "He was a cop."

"A cup of what?"

"Nevermind," Capable smiled sadly. "Who needs names, anyways. It's your turn, hon."

~o~

The game continued on with the drink flooding their senses. Soon Toast was lying with her head on Cheedo's belly, occasionally breaking out into fits of giggles after someone's amusing confession. The drink swirled around in Nux's head too, helping to numb the ache of his injuries.

Watching the flames dance atop blackened wood, Nux's eyelids began to grow heavy when someone shoved his shoulder. His turn again. "Can I ask anyone?" Nux asked The Dag, fiddling with a bottle.

"Sure, why not."

"Alright." Nux squeezed his hands together and looked over at Toast. "Furiosa's news. Has to do with the War Rig, yeah?"

The Dag threw her head back. "Haha! Good ol' Nux, getting right to the fecking point."

Toast sat up straight and groaned. "Really? Again? Dag, you planned all this, didn't you?"

The Dag shrugged. "Tell us or drink! Or _you know_ , I could ask about what I saw you up to the other day in the greenhouse instead."

Toast's eyes went wide. "Fine! Just…not that. You are all the worst. You included, Nux." She scowled at him through the dark, then drew a long sigh. "Well, I guess Furiosa would want you to know. You just can't mention it to _anyone_ , alright?" She paused, waiting for the others to give their assurances.

As soon as the group fell silent, Toast took a deep breath. "So you know I've been working with some of the Mothers, yeah?" A few around the fire nodded. "Well, two from the Old World have quite a knack for electronics. They're the ones who set up the radio equipment."

"Our radios," Capable whispered to Nux and reached over to clink her bottle with his, but missed. The others snickered at Capable's clumsy attempt.

Sitting up tall, Toast spoke again. "Well, a few weeks ago I was working with them when they picked up a signal. But not just a signal…" She chewed her lip. "…A distress call."

Nux and Capable exchanged a glance.

Toast continued, her voice cutting the dead silence of the desert air. "It came from a small labor mill out west. From what Furiosa can make out, it seems like the bosses fell sick, got scared or something, and just…left. They took all the vehicles, so the workers are now stuck living off the supplies." Toast took a deep breath. "And not just workers, though. Milk Mothers, children... _slaves_."

No one dared to breathe; they just mulled over her heavy words. The firelight shifted on Toast's face, transforming her features from beautiful to grotesque in a fraction of a second.

"Wow," The Dag gaped, lying down on her side with a hand on her growing belly.

"A scout's been sent out already to make sure it's nothing dodgy. But once they're back and the Rig has had a third good run, Furiosa's taking out a convoy." Toasts voice echoed into the Citadel. "It's a rescue mission."

For a few minutes the group stared into the fire, churning over this news. Nux's mind traveled across the desert to the mill many radio waves away, his world expanding. The immense Citadel bearing down above them now felt unbelievably small.

It was The Dag to first break the silence. "When does she go?"

"In a few weeks, hopefully. She's calling it a scouting mission near Barter Town as a front. We're keeping this quiet, okay? Considering the raids lately, some might not think this trip is a necessity." Toast gave an odd smile. "And this place is way, way past Barter Town. Maybe even near the coast."

"The coast? But I thought the oceans were a myth! Or dried up!" Cheedo gasped.

Toast shook her head, while Nux's eyes grew wide. _Ocean._ He was suddenly struck by déjà vu, sensing his febrile body rolling over waves in the Badlands.

Toast grabbed a bottle, raised it to the group in salute, and took a satisfying swig.

"I see why Furiosa would keep that hushed." The Dag shoved Toast in the hip, knocking her over. "But you realize you just proved you can't keep secrets, right?"

"Whatever, back to the game." Toast glanced at her best friend with an impish grin. "My turn. Cape! So you're full in love this Rev Head now, yeah?"

Capable made a strange sound, while Nux's mouth went dry. Before Capable could answer or drink, a crunch of sand drew all eyes towards the Citadel, where a male figure was approaching. Nux's skin grew cold until he recognized bloodbag's familiar swagger. Max's appearance broke up the game, to both Nux's relief and dismay.

Max dropped himself in the dirt next to Capable. "Out of surgery. She's resting."

As thoughts returned to Furiosa, all eyes gravitated to the fire. Its light flickered across Max's jaw bone, sharpening his features. Ruin had probably kicked him out of the wing…or maybe he just needed an escape like the rest of them. _How is Max still here?_ Nux wondered. The vagabond should surely have made his way on by now. What kept him? What kept any of those freed here – the ex-wives, the Milk Mothers – those so different from his own kind with their histories and surnames?

Capable handed Max the bottle, and he took a heavy drink. Nux studied Max's face to see if it registered the toxin, but it appeared as if Max had just downed water. Nux opening his mouth to offer some supportive words about Furiosa, but held back. Max just looked so tired.

~o~

In the late hours of the night, the stars washed across the sky. Nux lay on his back next to Capable, staring up. A milky ribbon spread through the center of the expanse, where each star fought to be the brightest. _Was the ocean this big?_

An empty whisky bottle had been cast aside in the sand, not far from where the other women lay about. There was a chatter of something obscene, and Cheedo fell over cackling. Nux rolled away, trying not to listen. He had learned enough about the private aspects of their lives and female biology for one night.

In spite of his occasional discomfort, he liked this night, this spot. A toasty refuge in the Wasteland, surrounded by familiar bodies. He was reminded of old times with his brothers, only the genders were flipped now. Not that it mattered to him. People were people, and with Capable's hand clasped in his own, for the first time in a long while he didn't feel so alone.

As Nux watched a satellite disappear behind some clouds, trying to imagine how an ocean smelled, Capable released his hand and got up. Nux turned his head and saw her make her way across the fire and sit by Max. On the other side of the flames, The Dag leaned against a drum, turning a half empty whisky bottle over in her hands. "You know...right before Furiosa stowed us away…I drank a good swig of this," The Dag smirked, shaking the bottle.

"What?" Toast laughed near her. "Even banged up?"

The Dag shrugged. "Needed all the guts I could get to climb into that foul tanker." She placed a hand on her belly. "Bub's a tough little bugger though. She'll be right."

The engulfed basin offered a small refuge from the nipping desert air. Toast clumsily tried to toss in another chair leg, but missed the fire completely by a foot. The Dag reached across to finish the task, satiating the ravenous flames. In the darkness, the walls of the Citadel appeared to quake with each flicker of the fire.

Nux propped himself up onto his elbows and noticed that while the other women were rolling around in good spirits, Capable sat with her arms tight around her knees. Her dark composure mirrored that of the silent Road Warrior on her right. She leaned over and whispered something to Max that Nux couldn't hear. For a few minutes Nux studied the two, both fascinated by and slightly envious of their unassuming friendship.

When his curiosity got the best of him, Nux finally headed over and dropped himself next to Capable. "Alright?" he asked.

"Yeah. Just…thinking." She didn't move, but kept her eyes on the flames.

"That's mad about the radio, yeah? A rescue…near the ocean." he murmured, mesmerized. Capable kept silent, so he continued, tripping out words, trying to somehow infect her with his excitement. "Heard stories about it. My old mentor said it moves in swells like dunes, and in the lowest parts you could drop in a stone and it won't hit earth for days." Her face showed little response, so he added, "Supposed to be so blue, it makes the sky look dirt gray." Nux sighed. "Haven't ever seen anything as blue as that."

After a few moments in tense silence, Capable muttered, "I have."

"Where?" Nux asked, perplexed.

"Nevermind. It's silly."

"Come on. Where? Wanna see it too," Nux pleaded.

"No, you'll laugh."

"Never. I don't laugh," Nux replied, suppressing a smirk.

"Fine." Capable turned to him with a small smile, reached her hand up to clumsily trace his brow. "There."

Nux immediately looked away, his chest fluttering. Hopefully the fire was dim enough to conceal his flushed face. This time he didn't hide his grin, though. He didn't mind having eyes made out of the sea.

With a small stick, Capable drew the outline of a gull in the sand, then wiped it clean with her palm. "Miss Giddy said there's more drops in the ocean than stars in our sky," Capable smiled, looking upwards. "See that?" She pointed at the brightest star above. "That star guided me back here after I found you in the canyon."

Nux nodded. "Shine. Maybe we can find it on those star charts when you get back." With these words her face darkened again. Nux added, confused, "I mean, don't have to, we can do other things." She didn't respond, so he stammered, "Uh, think you'll follow that same star to get back home?"

Capable remained silent. At that point an inebriated Toast rolled towards them to add a slurred, "C'mon, answer Nux, Cape! Tell us or drink!"

Capable's eyes swelled, then she scrambled up and marched off into the junk lot. Nux watched her pale dress fade into the smoky shadows.

Nux rubbed his neck, perplexed. _Must have said something wrong._ He caught Max's gaze, who shrugged and gave a small sympathetic smile. Nux made to stand, but Toast shook her head. "It's ok. I'll go talk to her." After a wobbly start, she followed Capable into the darkness.

Nux threw a fresh piece of wood onto the fire and closed his eyes, listening to the crackling heat and soft laughter around him. It didn't take long for the fresh log to be reduced to splinters. Just as the fire began to hypnotize him into an inebriated trance, rising voices shook him awake.

"There's _nothing_ out there, Capable. When are you going to wake up and face it?" Toast's voice echoed through the desert air.

"How can you say that?" Capable's meek voice cried. 'It's my _home!_ Please! Just listen to me!"

Suddenly Toast emerged out of the darkness and stormed towards the fire, with Capable following close behind.

"Why? Why should I even bother to listen to you?" Toast growled, snatching up her belongings and a stray whisky bottle. "You've had weeks to say something, and you only felt like mentioning it to me _now_ , the night before you up and leave?"

"This is exactly why I wasn't going to say anything! I knew you'd worry, so I'm just doing what's best for us!"

"No, you're doing what's selfish, like always," Toast snarled, throwing on her boots. "Taking stupid risks just for some vague memory! He's _dead,_ for cross sake, _let it go_ already!"

"How can you say that?" Capable cried, her voice pained. "Please, Toast! This hasn't been an easy decision. I need you to be with me on this!"

Toast threw down the bottle. "No! You're on your own." Without a second glance, Toast tore off towards the Citadel, her form fading into the night.

"What was she going on about?" The Dag asked, then turned to Capable. "You okay lovey?"

Capable didn't answer. Instead she just dropped herself down next to Nux, lips pursed, staring at the wood engulfed in flames.

~o~

Not long after Toast's departure, the call of the night lured the other women away. Nux had expected them all to be ill by the amount he saw them consume. However, it was only The Dag who ended up worse for wear, expelling her prenatal drink on the route to the Citadel.  
Soon Max, Capable, and Nux were the only ones left. Nux sat awkwardly in silence next to the two brooding figures. The cold darkness pressed in on them, held at bay only by the warmth at their feet.

"It's getting chilly," Capable finally muttered, rubbing her bare arms.

"Wanna head up?" Nux asked.

"No, I'm okay." She threw some more scrap onto the greedy fire, then wrapped her arms tight around her.

Nux recalled seeing a pile of blankets in the junk lot earlier, so he hopped up. The sudden movement, combined with the sharp glare of the fire, made his body sway. He stumbled backwards, but managed to catch his footing. "Oof. Be back."

Nux navigated through the dark to the edge of the junk lot, relying on the dim light of the crescent moon. Out in the Wasteland, the vacuum of silence was interrupted by a low, sorrowful howl. Whether human or some wild dog or dingo, Nux couldn't say. Regardless, there was loneliness entwined in its mournful cry. Shivers ran up Nux's back; not from fear, but pity. His heart ached for the miserable thing. He knew that sense of alone.

With a head full of sand, it didn't take long for Nux to become disoriented by the endless piles of junk. However, after retracing his steps, he spotted his target. Grabbing the musty blanket, Nux paused to look out into the desert. What could be lurking just beyond the barbed wire, wandering this Wasteland? Perhaps the owner of the lone howl, searching for a home. Tendrils of cool wind wrapped around him, sending a chill up his neck. He shivered, and turned to find his way back to the fire.

~o~

It took some time to navigate back through the maze of junk piles, so Nux was relieved when he caught sight of the two forms huddled at the fire, talking in hushed voices. Nux began to approach them but froze at the sound of Capable's fracturing words.

"– And it's going to absolutely kill him," she whispered to Max. "The girls, too. You saw how Toast reacted just now, and I only told her the half of it! And Furiosa…Furiosa's gonna hate me for it."

Nux dropped the blanket down and stepped behind some iron scaffolding in the shadows, listening.

Max rubbed the back of his neck. "You're really doing this."

"Looks like it. I already worked out a plan with the convoy team," she muttered.

"A plan."

"Once we hit the bush camp, I'll take the extra bike and follow the old rail tracks as far north as they go. I should be able to figure out the rest from there."

Max shook his head roughly. "That route. It's no good. Endless, nothing but ghost towns and raiders."

Capable bristled. "Well…it's the only way I'll find my town."

"No. Only thing you'll find is dehydration and death."

 _What's she talking about? Her town?_ Nux held his breath and tightly gripped the metal scaffolding.

Capable's posture stiffened. "But Max, I _have_ to try. You should understand more than anyone." Her tone prickled with frustration.

Max grunted a laugh.

After a few moments, she whispered, "Because you had a family once too."

From Nux's positon he could see Max's silhouette shift oddly. Capable continued, though her voice had turned to silk. "You never talk about them, but I know. The way you look at Furiosa, the War Pups, like you've been missing something. Max, after losing my babies, I look at the little ones like that too. If there was the smallest chance your family was still alive, wouldn't you risk everything to get back to them?"

Max coughed, but didn't answer. Nux's just stared at him, stunned by this revelation.

"Well I would, and that's why I have to go. To find Roads," Capable added, clenching her jaw.

"Your lover," Max stated, making the hair on Nux's arms stand on end.

"No," Capable shook her head, smiling slightly. "My brother."

At that moment, the fire spit a burst of cinders, which burned hot in the air before extinguishing themselves in the sand. Nux swallowed. _Brother?_

"Never mentioned one," Max mumbled.

"Yeah." Capable pushed a stray hair from her face. "Usually just too hard to talk about him. You know, he looks a lot like you, actually. Taller, though." She gave a small laugh. "We had a sister once too, but not for long, so I don't really remember her much. Roads though…After our parents died, he was my life."

Max nodded but kept his focus on the fire.

"I think you would have liked him," Capable muttered. She picked up a copper wire and stabbed the fire. "Nux too."

Nux swallowed at the mention of his name. The pair sat in silence for a few minutes, until Capable continued. "Roads tried to stop them, you know. From taking me. Ever since I found out about this convoy, I can't stop thinking about that night." She looked over at Max curiously. "Did Furiosa ever tell you…how it happened?"

Max shook his head. Nux leaned his temple against the frame and gripped the iron bars inches from his face. An exposed nail pressed into his palm, but he didn't notice. He tasted tart rust with each breath.

"It was on our farm." She stabbed the fire again, sending embers into the air. "I woke up to our chickens going mad, so I thought some feral dogs must've gotten through the fence again. I ran outside, and there was this huge pickup on our road." Capable exhaled hard. "That's not unusual, but this time some men jumped out, and it was all just so fast, you know? I don't think I even really bothered fighting at first, I was too stunned. It was like… like I was reading a book of someone else's awful life."

Max grunted in understanding.

The fire dimmed. Capable shivered and wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "I must've been screaming when they threw me in the trunk bed, 'cause Roads ran out. They were shoving me down so I couldn't really see him, but I could hear them struggling." Capable paused to pick up a cloudy bottle. Nux could see her throat muscles tighten as she downed the drink. She set the bottle aside, cringing from the liquor's sting. "Then I saw this one with a rifle hop off the truck and run towards the fighting, and then there was this…crack. It was like…you know when you step on a piece of corrugated iron, and it sinks in?"

Max nodded.

"Yeah, just like that." Capable swallowed. "Almost soft. It didn't really sound like anything. Just…a crink in iron."

Nux gripped the iron in his own hands, deafened by the drumming in his chest.

Her voice fell to barely a whisper. "I didn't hear him after that."

Capable wiped the corners of her eyes. "The last few weeks I keep replaying that all over in my head, trying to work out whether he could have survived whatever they did to him. Max, what if he did, and he's out there, looking for me! Or worse, what if he thinks _I'm_ dead!" Her voice began to crack with the fire. She rung her hands together, her body rocking back and forth. "If only I hadn't screamed, he'd never of left the house, and they could've stolen me without him getting hurt! Then I would know for sure he's alive…"

Max shook his head. "Can't think like that."

Capable's resolve suddenly broke, with her voice splintering into a million tiny pieces. "And what was it all for? I should be there with him now! I was fucking seventeen, Max. I was just a seventeen year old girl and they still took me to fill their quota!" Her vibrating words echoed throughout the junk lot. "What monster marries a _child_?"

As Capable's body began to shake with sobs, Nux looked away. Creeping ill spread into his gut at the image of her in pain. Nux gripped the railing, white-knuckled, resisting the urge to rush over and comfort her.

After a minute Capable calmed down, but her shoulders remained hunched. "It took me eight fucking years imprisoned to say goodbye to that town, to our farm, to him," she whimpered, "but ever since I learned that the convoy would be passing near my home, it's been absolutely _killing me_. Whether he's out there is all I can think about, all the time. This convoy…this is my chance to finally know."

"Might be chasing something that isn't there," Max muttered, "or might find something worse."

Capable sniffed and tossed the wire into the flames. "I know, but I just can't afford to think that way. Not yet. I need to believe he's alive. I need to hope."

"And then there's getting back…" Max looked up at the Citadel. "End of the railroad's a ten day's ride from that bush camp. Convoy's a salvage mission, that's it. No other rig's gonna go up that way for no good reason. Not worth the weeks of guzzoline, even to pick you up."

Capable twisted her dress. "I know."

"No return trip."

She shook her head, and exhaled hard. "…No."

Nux was struck hard in the chest and found that all his strength had been sucked from his limbs. His head spun with her words, with drinks, and he had to grasp the frame to keep from crumbling into the sand. _No!_ His mind echoed. _She can't…no…_

Brushing the hair from her face, Capable exhaled. "I've been racking my brain, trying to think of every conceivable way to get back. Too bad there isn't another run to kidnap a farm girl," she forced a laugh. "Maybe I could hitch a ride, resupply…" She sunk down lower into the sand. "I'm gonna try…but part of me is afraid that when I get there, I won't _want_ to come back."

Max put out stray embers with his boot. "When the convoy comes back without you, some people are gonna wonder where you are."

"Let them," she muttered.

"Capable…"

Nux froze, as did Capable, who sat up straight and gaped at Max. It was the first time Nux had heard Max utter her name.

"Okay, fine. Tell them. But please don't say that no return trip was something I planned. Especially to Nux. It would destroy me."

"Sure this is what you want?" Max asked, his voice barely audible over the splintering wood.

"No. But..." Capable started, but voice disappeared. Wrapping her arms tight around her knees, Capable's whole body began to quiver. Max shifted closer and placed a hand on her back. She leaned into his touch until she was pressed against his chest, her head resting on his hardened jaw. Max wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she broke into quiet sobs.

Nux couldn't bear to see any more of it. As quickly as his bad leg would allow, he retreated back through the paths of the junk lot. He tried to get as far from the fire as possible, eventually collapsing against a truck on the lot's boundary. Her last words obscured his vision, and he couldn't seem to stop blinking.  
He had accepted a future with her absent for a while, but he couldn't even imagine one with her completely gone. What kind of life was that? Anything but Full. How could she do this to him? To everyone?  
 _He could beg, plead her to stay._ No, not after hearing the pain in how she talked about her brother. He couldn't bear to put her in a position to choose. A new, creeping cancer seemed to take over him. Leaning against the truck, paralyzed, his skin grew hot and febrile. Denial emerged as the only option to survive this new sickness. No, she'll find a way home. She said she would. Capable only ever kept her word.

After a few minutes, Nux found he was able to move again. He made his way through the junk lot to the fire and coughed to announce his return, only to find Capable alone. "Oh, hey," she muttered, and quickly wiped her face. "Max just left to see Furiosa. Doing 'right?" she asked with forced enthusiasm.

Nux draped the sun-bleached blanket over her with shaking hands. "Yeah," he lied, trying to conceal the tangled knot of sadness and anger in his vocal chords.

"Oh. Thanks." She pulled the blanket tight around her shoulders.

The two watched the crackle of flames in silence for some time. Nux found it hard to take in air now that his chest had rusted shut. _Our last night,_ his mind kept repeating. Their last night under the same stars. They sat together, bodies touching, but separated by the immense weight of the milky black sky.

~o~

Soon nothing was left in the fire but bubbling embers that hissed and spit. Capable stared into the red glow, sipping away at the golden spirits like water. Nux watched the low light catch the moisture in her eyes. Capable shivered, so he lifted the blanket higher on their shoulders and reluctantly pulled her close. His mind told him to be furious, betrayed, but with their time left together in this world even shorter, his body just wanted her skin to his. After a minute, she wrapped the blanket over Nux's hands, much like she had once done in the turret, and pressed close to him. It brought back those flutters. He tried willing himself to be repulsed by it, to no avail. He reached for the bottle sticking in the sand and took another swig. The drink helped numb this sensation in his chest of being torn apart by her.

They sat for a while, engulfed in silence, while the bottle grew drier. "Nux, did you..." Capable finally spoke, her head tucked under his chin. "Nux…did you ever have a family?"

Nux threw more wood on the fire, trying to process her odd question. "No. Just us Boys."

"What about those sharing your blood? Siblings? A mother?" Her finger began tracing the scar of a throttle valve under his collarbone.

"Yeah, but didn't know them after I was drafted. Too little."

Capable lifted her head up to look at him with worried eyes. "Doesn't that make you sad?"

Nux picked up a charred stick with his free hand and began drawing circles on a rock. "Never thought about it. So, not really. Or at least didn't know it was something you were supposed to be sad about."

"What happened to them?"

Nux shrugged. "Dunno. Wretcheds only give us up to have a better life. Maybe they got sick. They could still be around. Or dead."

" _What?_ Alive? Here?" Capable gasped and sat up to stare at him. The now empty space on his skin grew cold in the breeze.

"Yeah, so?"

"That's madness! Your mother – _your family_ – could be living in the same city, and you don't even _know_?"

Nux shook his head. "They're not my family."

"Of course they are! They created you!"

Nux shook his head more vigorously and stabbed the embers, stirring up flames. "Building something doesn't make it kin. Like…you can put engine parts together, yeah? Well that doesn't mean it's your rig, unless you tune it, watch it run." He drew a long breath. "With us Boys, family is all those parts running together. Makes you feel like you fit so tightly in that machine that it wouldn't even run without you. That's more a family than what built you."

"But is it still a family when they hurt you?" she asked, then bit her lip, clearly regretting her words.

He ignored the sting, and shrugged. "Not sure."

Capable looked up at him, her cheeks painted honey from the fire's glow. "Did you ever think about making one of your own?"

"A rig?"

"A family."

Nux stilled his fidgeting hand. "Dunno. Never thought about it before. With a Half-Life, never thought I could." His face grew hot. _Had the fire grown all of a sudden?_

"Well, you don't know that. In the future, say…say… _we_ could."

"I…" Nux squeezed the soft sand under his palm. He couldn't formulate words, his brain too busy rewiring to expand the possibilities of the word _future_. A family. With Capable. His thoughts mixed with alcohol and new simmering hope. He swallowed and looked over to her, watching her lovely green eyes reflect the heat of the world back at him in shimmering specks. Her lips were pursed in a worried frown, bringing a sudden jolt of anger. Why would she say something so cruel? She was going away, forever, cutting herself out of his life, and now she plants the spark of something beautiful? What was this? The alcohol speaking? Another _game_? As quickly as the new future emerged into his mind, it was brutally torn away. Suddenly he couldn't bear to look at her anymore.

He began to pull away, when a large crash came from the west end of the junk lot, making them both jump. However, Nux thanked the interruption to his tortured thoughts. Whether his howling friend had come to greet them, or some other creature of the darkness, he wasn't keen to find out.

"Wanna call it?" she asked, her nails digging into his arm.

"Definitely."

After some effort to stand, Nux grabbed her hand and pulled her up. Capable leaned against his weight to snatch up the nearly empty bottle, almost falling in the process. They staggered towards the Citadel, leaving the simmering fire to consume itself to death.

~o~

Nux could barely make it up the last few stairs as he and Capable stumbled into the dark hallway of the greenhouse level. Reaching their pitch black room, Nux lumbered to where he remembered the bed should be and collapsed forward. Behind him, the empty bottle clanked to the floor in the entranceway. A moment later the bed rocked when Capable flopped next to him.

The faint moonlight gave the room an eerily Chrome glow. Everything tasted sour. Capable kicked off her shoes, which thumped off the end of the bed. "You okay?"

Nux didn't answer, just stared at the stars swirling in his vision. Nauseated, he turned his face into the mattress for the relief of complete darkness.

"Nux…I'll be back in a few weeks," she urged.

"Can you stop lying to me?" he mumbled into the linens that were now coated in sand.

"What?" she asked. "Sorry, didn't catch that."

Nux turned his head towards her and sighed. "Never mind."

They grew silent. Just as he began to wonder whether Capable had drifted off, she whispered, "Can't believe it's our last night together…for a while."

"Yeah." Her words stirred up nausea, so he closed his eyes tight.

"Nux I think I want…"

He stared at her. _You want what?_ _To sleep? A family? To leave me?_

"Never mind." She echoed him and fell silent again.

Just as sleep began to take him, Nux was jerked awake by the bed shifting. Capable crawled up to his side and drew a soft hand up his injured back. Nux bristled, trying to ignore the milky glow of the day flowing through her fingertips. When curiosity finally got the best of him, Nux rolled over. There she was above him, her hands sinking into the bed by his shoulders. They watched each other in silence. Finally, Capable leaned down to bring her lips to his.

Up close, her skin was a rich scent of embers and spice. Nux did his best to ignore the call of sleep, his anger for tomorrow, and tried to simply savor flutters of rainwater on his lips. A quick pain shot up his thigh. "Agh!" Nux cried.

"Sorry!" Capable gasped, lifting her knee that was pressing into his bad leg.

Nux shook it off and got lost to her spell once again. The way she moved against him felt rushed, almost desperate. Nux struggled to keep up, but grew disoriented by her hands and smoky scent, finding it hard to separate her from the whisky in the air. Her smoky haze slowly transformed into those heartbreaking words by the fire, suffocating him. Panting, Nux pulled away from her, angry at her seduction and his own weakness to it. "Capable, it's late..." he mumbled, searching for excuses. _This hurts._

With her palm, Capable turned his head back to meet her determined gaze. "Nux, it's our last night. I want…"

 _Want what?_ She took his hand and placed it on the fabric at her thigh. _Oh._ Nux's core tightened with a sudden understanding and a mutual need. He tried to draw a deep breath, but his chest refused to inhale. Following her guidance, Nux helped slide the dress up the curve of her waist, up, up, until it had fallen away.

He automatically averted his gaze from her exposed figure, but his own racing heart pulled him back. Her slim body was silhouetted above him by starlight. He cursed the darkness. He wished for sunrise, a full moon. Still, he was entranced. "Gods, you're so…" _Shine_ and _beautiful_ tickled his throat as he drew a hand up her soft waist, but he couldn't quite grasp the words from her intoxicating smoke.

Nux swallowed as Capable's hand trailed down his scarred chest and grazed his belt. Finally overcome, Nux pulled her bare form down to him. Nux flipped them over and let himself drown in her touch. But suddenly Capable was squirming free of his grasp, chest heaving, scrambling backwards on the bed.

Nux sat up, confused, meeting her terror-filled eyes. His heart nearly stopped. _Gods...What have I done?_ He tried to reach out, to comfort her, but she was already gone…

Capable's silhouette was just visible against the starlight on the balcony, quivering with silent sobs. Nux rolled onto his stomach and emitted a guttural groan into the blankets and sand. Gripping the sheets, Nux prayed for the mercy of sleep or death to free him from this agony, this night. Nux eventually drifted off, only to be haunted by visions of her bare form stumbling away from him and into a cloud of thick, suffocating smoke.


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry for the wait! This chapter took a bit longer than usual thanks to life, but the next one is on the go. Thank you for those who left feedback and/or are following along, it is a huge inspiration to keep writing!  
**  
 *** Content Note:* Some references to history of sexual assault and PTSD-like symptoms.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Nux.**

Nux woke to a pulsing head and the hot sun burning into his eyes. He rolled out of the harsh glare, but this action made the room spin around him. Once the spinning waned, Nux cracked his blurry eyes open and saw a figure beside him. Capable was sound asleep on top of a tangle of blankets, once again in her dress from the night before. Judging by the seam running up the length of her side, she appeared to be wearing it inside out, and possibly backwards.

On seeing her dress in that state, last night's upsetting events came flooding back. Groaning in exasperation, Nux rolled away from her and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will sleep to wash away these memories and the remaining alcohol. When sleep refused to come, Nux reluctantly dragged himself out of bed. He dusted the sand off his sore stitches and his V8 scar, watching as the tiny grains danced through patches of sunlight on their way to the floor.

It was at that moment Nux noticed the shadows' positions on the floor, and his heart sunk. It was past midday. Capable would be leaving at sundown, and they had gone and wasted the whole morning. He had been hoping to make the most of their last day together. That was, if she still wanted to after last night's awkwardness...

Sighing, Nux grabbed clean clothes and then headed for the hot spring room to wash up. On the way there, he spotted the discarded whisky bottle near the exit, and his stomach tightened thinking of what had almost come to pass between the two of them last night. He shoved the door shut behind him, probably a bit too hard, and collapsed against it. His skin flushed with the wonderful memory of her unclothed silhouette pressing down on him...but then he recalled how she had recoiled in fear, and a chill darted up his neck. Did he push her too far again?  
Nux splashed cold water from the basin onto his face, but these shameful and hurtful memories kept repeating. As cold water trickled down his neck, he could hear Capable's tortured words to Max, and once again saw her terrorized moss-green eyes boring through him.

The water must have done some good, since after taking a long shower and dressing, these thoughts were reduced to whispers. Heading back into the main chamber, Nux stopped dead. The room was just so... _bare_. Capable had packed up her meagre belongings into a small duffle, which sat next to her medical bag on the floor. Although a few of her trinkets and books remained, the room had been nearly erased of her history. Nux exhaled deeply. It was only then when he noticed that a figure was sitting upright on the bed.

"Oh. Hey. Hi," Capable sputtered, as if startled by his presence in their own room. Capable began to get up, but dropped back onto her side, crying, "Ugh, my head!"

Capable curled herself into a ball, causing her flimsy dress to scrunch up at her waist. Nux swallowed, remembering how easily it had slid over her shoulders. Capable let out a long groan, then hopped up and rushed past Nux to the hot spring room without a glance. She made his head spin again, so Nux went out to the balcony for some fresh air.

A few minutes later, Capable reappeared in the main room, looking slightly less green, but grumbling to herself. Nux turned back to the yard, leaning over the railing to watch the four trucks of her convoy being prepped for departure. _Maybe I can sabotage it_ , he thought. Nux sensed her approach, and those feelings from the night before – anger, sadness, guilt, lust – surged forth all at once. The muscles in his jaw tightened.

Capable followed his gaze down into the yard. "Feeling okay today?" she asked.

"Yeah," he managed to reply through the tangle of knots in his vocal chords. He kept his eyes on the busywork below.

"Lucky. I just puked twice."

Nux snuck a glance at her, and noticed that she was tugging at her dress, which was now on her the right way. She shifted closer. "Nux, about last night..."

"S'okay," he croaked, his throat made of sandpaper.

"What happened, that wasn't your fault. It's just sometimes..." She paused. "Sometimes I see... _him_."

Nux nodded. He turned to face her, anger lessened but still simmering, yet what he saw constricted his chest. Capable looked up at him with those same mossy eyes, but behind them was a heavy soul overflowing with sorrow and hurt.

"I thought it would be easier by now. And with it being our last night..." she began, and Nux could see her fighting to keep from choking up. "I guess I still have some things to sort out." She exhaled hard and squeezed the railing. "I shouldn't have led you on like that."

Nux felt a soft grasp of his hand, and Capable met his gaze. "Nux, I'm so, so sorry."

He shook his head, then whispered, "Don't be."

They stood in uncomfortable silence facing each other. Capable rung her hands on the rough balcony railing, avoiding meeting his eyes again. He tried his best not to imagine her bare writhing form leaning over him, or disappearing down a railroad into smoke.

"Nux, there's something else..."

Nux's chest tightened. Would she mention the fire pit conversation? Was she changing her mind? Would she _stay_?

"Nux, this trip, I..."

"Yeah?"

"Um..." she hesitated. "I'm looking for my shawl, have you seen it?" Capable finally sputtered.

"Oh. Your what?"

"That white-ish cloth with the tassels. It was on the dresser last time I checked."

"Sorry, no," Nux sighed, his heart sinking with disappointment.

"Oh, okay. Maybe I left it up in the gardens. Never mind." She touched Nux's bare shoulder then headed back into the main room. "I better get ready then." She began sorting her gear when her eyes went to the clock from the Vault. "Holy shit, is that right? That's the time? Ruin's gonna kill me!"

Nux came back into the room to see Capable dashing around. "Sorry, I'm supposed to help the team prep the rigs. It's probably going to take a few hours," she called while sorting through her medical bag. "But I'll find you afterwards, before I...before I leave. 'Kay hon?"

Nux nodded, and Capable ran up to give him a hurried kiss before dashing into the hot spring room with an armful of clothes. When the door clicked, Nux dropped down on the bed. He felt ill beyond the drink. She was leaving this place forever in a few hours, and this was how they would end things: rushed and with words unsaid. She was removing herself from his life for good, all because she couldn't find her damn way back.

 _A way back._ Suddenly, a tiny idea ignited in his head. It was crazy, but what if he could _bring_ her back? Nux jumped up, his heart beginning to pump fast. _Of course!_ All he needed was a reliable ride, and he was almost there already! With some time and attention, his Deluxe could make it to her town. The room spun around his head again, but this time not from the alcohol.

When the rush of water sounded, Nux darted around the room to gather up tools and engine parts into a leather satchel, fueled by this flicker of hope. The sooner the Deluxe was finished, the sooner he could bring her back. He had a few hours before she would be free. Who knows, working on his rig would even help settle these turbulent storms of her in his thoughts. Nux hurried out of the room, kicking the empty whisky bottle on the way out.

~o~

His high octane blood rushing, Nux began making his way to the garage when a wave of nausea hit him. While eager to get to his vehicle, Nux decided to stop for rations first rather than work on an empty stomach, just to be safe.

Once food finally arrived after an agonizing wait, Nux joined Auroch at a table. In his excitement, he told his older comrade everything about his plan to finish his Deluxe, including why. Auroch seemed oddly subdued, almost morose, which Nux passed off as his friend's eccentric nature. After rations, and a delay talking to a chatty Dag, Nux took a brief detour through the engine bay to see the War Rig, which was being prepped for a third and final test run. All the War Boys on duty fought to repair the engine, but only those in the higher ranks were allowed to work on that sacred section. Struck by sudden pangs of envy, Nux pulled his gaze away and marched on.

Nux moved up the narrow stairwell with surprising ease, his heart growing faster with each step. While his head still pounded thunder, Nux's thoughts were too occupied with planning the Deluxe's repairs to notice. The body was mainly finished, save for weaponry. She also needed tires and a new alternator, but he could easily find those in the junk lot. It was really thanks to Capable that he had gotten this much done so fast. A few weeks, a month maybe, and the Deluxe could be on that railway north to her farming town. Nux smirked, imagining Capable's shock when he showed up unannounced on that red dirt path. With this excitement came nerves. When he met Roads, what would he say to him?

His spirits singing, Nux jumped up some thick steps near his old bunks, though a little too hard. _Ouch!_ Pausing until the throbbing in his leg subsided, Nux chastised his own eagerness and reminded himself to take caution. This was technically enemy territory. While he had been safe these last few weeks, that wasn't a reason to let his guard down. It was good thinking, since a few minutes later he noticed that his path was blocked by a crowd of War Boys. Some leaned against the very wall that had once cracked his skull under Flay's force. Nux's throat knotted when they fell silent, but still he proceeded ahead anyway. As he shoved through their stubborn bodies, he thought he felt hot breath on his shoulder, whispering _traitor_. Nux clenched his jaw, imagining himself riding along the railway line, past the ghost towns, and far from their venom. He made it through the group unscathed, though with spirits slightly dampened. So this is how it would be, always. Furiosa was wrong to think he would ever win them over with time or words. His kind just weren't manufactured that way.

Ascending the last small landing, Nux stopped and checked down the narrow tunnel. This path was empty save for a few powdered War Pup girls, too occupied with chasing a mouse to notice him. On reaching the garage entrance, his spirit immediately grew brighter again. Grinning, he rushed in to greet his Deluxe.

...Except she wasn't there.

Most of her wasn't, anyway. Her beautiful sky blue body had been picked clean. Scavenged. All that was left of her was a frame assembly, some fabric, and a bent hub cap. In the haste of her gutting, black oil had been spilled across the earth, which clotted in dirt clumps.

Nux's legs became water, spilling from beneath him and he crashed to the floor. He leaned on his hands, shaking, his meal threatening to return itself to the filthy earth. This scavenge meant only one thing: _the mark of a dead man_.

Nux dug his nails into the dust to keep from retching. All that work, all those dreams of following the convoy – to find Capable – gone. His entire back and shoulders began to tremble with a realization. This was no accident or force of nature. His own brothers had done this to him. His own _brothers._

Glancing up at the wreckage, Nux's eyes burned fire. Someone would have orchestrated this, and there was little doubt who that could be. Fueled by new determination, Nux pulled himself up to standing. He wasn't dead just yet; Nux could still find him and make him pay. Without a moment's pause, he stormed out of the garage, leaving the remains of his butchered vehicle in his wake.

~o~

Nux flew down the humid tunnel as fast as his sore limbs would allow, the crowd of passing faces a blur. He had a good idea where the bastard's dead hide would be. After tromping up three flights, Nux's lungs were stinging by the time he reached the Humvee workshop. The wide cavern was home to an assortment of Humvees and large trucks, with a massive opening to the open air at the far wall. Nux scanned the busy room, catching his breath. There, at the end. He spotted the spiked vehicle and its owner, a stocky man with an ugly scar in the socket where an eye should be.

Without hesitating, Nux pushed through some War Boys and shoved Flay hard in the chest, causing the man to stumble back. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Nux snarled, "You think you can take a living soldier's ride like that? That was _mine_! That took _years_ of scavenging!" Nux's whole body shook. "That's sick! What the fuck's wrong with you?"

Flay grinned his horrendous, one-eyed grin, before shrugging. "Didn't look like you needed it. You gotta cozy life up there in the heavens, probably don't wanna get those clean hands o' yours dirty." He raised his brow at Nux's recently scrubbed skin.

"My Deluxe was almost _done_!" Nux pushed Flay again in the shoulder, but Flay didn't budge. "I coulda ridden soon! That was my _only_ chance to follow her!" Nux spilled out before he could stop himself.

Flay looked at him with a disinterested gaze. He tugged at a rag hanging off his belt, then raised a brow. "Yeah? Well riding is for War Boys." He turned with his arms out to the growing group of spectators. "Does anyone see one here?" He gestured at Nux, laughing. "All I see is a traitor," Flay sneered, looking him down, "that Metal Bitch's puppy."

"What is wrong in your head?" Nux snarled, shoving the taller Boy again. "Why can't you leave me well enough alone?"

Flay met Nux's gaze, his expression darkening. "Serious? 'Cause you – " he stabbed a greasy finger into Nux's sternum, leaving a mark, " – you're why Immortan spits down on us now. 'Cause you and your pretty little _whores_ had to go and kill the world."

Nux glared at Flay, his chest heaving, when his eyes were drawn to the large rag hanging from Flay's belt. It was a cream-colored cloth sullied by oily hands. No, not a rag, a shawl. One Nux knew all too well.

Nux reached and snatched away the filthy fabric. "How the fuck did you get this?" he yelled, shaking it in Flay's face. "You went in _our_ room? _My_ room? What else have you stolen to try to taunt me?" He shoved Capable's ruined shawl into Flay's chest, and let it fall to the dirt.

Flay's thick shoulders shook with a musical laugh, then he reached down to gently pick up the cloth. To Nux's horror, Flay brought the woven shawl to his face and took a long, deep inhale. "Mmm. She's just lovely, isn't she?" Flay tossed the shawl over one shoulder and played with the tassels. "You know, when I'm done with my ride today, mind if I take her for a spin?"

That was it. Without a second thought, Nux launched into Flay, knocking him into the dirt. With his free hand, Nux slammed his fists into Flay's skull over and over, hard enough illicit a crunch. His aching wrists only fed his thirst to destroy this being in front of him. However, Flay maneuvered his torso upright and clipped Nux in the jaw, firing white hot pain up his throat. With Nux disoriented, Flay quickly shoved Nux off and struck him hard in the shoulder, before hopping to his feet.

Although stunned, Nux managed to swing his bad leg into Flay's own, hearing a satisfying groan as the pins made contact with Flay's knee. It sent shooting fury up Nux's own thigh, but probably hurt him less than it did Flay. Nux managed to stand again and found himself face to face with Flay, both men now panting. Nux lunged forward to strike again, but most of his energy had gone into his first assault. Flay simply stepped out of the way, and Nux's fist barely grazed Flay's side. With Nux running on empty, Flay took this opportunity to strike Nux hard in his bad rib.

Nux wheezed and crumpled onto his knees, blinking away the stars emerging under his eyelids. When the pain subsided, he looked up to see the large rev head pacing before him, grinning. Nux stared in horror. Flay was _enjoying_ this.

"Tha's more like it!" Flay cheered, wiping red iron from his split cheek, while the onlookers hooted. "Boy's got some fight in him finally! That's what we want to see, right lads?" he laughed. "Not some lame traitor pup."

Nux grinded his teeth and glared, fists tight and ready to strike again, but he fought the urge. _No, that's exactly what he wants._

"That wife though. Cape...Capable, is that it?" Flay walked over and nudged Nux in the shoulder. "Mmm. Think I'm gonna ride her niiiice and slow, before I trade her in," he cackled to the crowd.

That was it. His inhibitions failing, Nux jumped up and charged at him again, but Flay simply grabbed Nux's arm and tossed him into the dirt. The impact with the granite ignited old injuries and sent hot fire throughout his body. Nux arched his back on the ground, overcome by pain. "Alright!" Flay cheered and spat out blood, "Now we're havin' fun!"

When the fire in his back subsided, Nux pulled himself upright, but he only had the strength to prop himself on his hands and knees. A few feet away, Capable's ruined shawl lay discarded on the stained earth. Over his own harsh wheezing, Nux could hear the crunch of dirt with Flay's approach. A moment later Flay's shadow appeared before him, but Nux refused to look up. He refused to give Flay that satisfaction. Nux's muscles went taut in preparation for the blows, but he would take it all to stand up to this _smeg_. Then, something appeared before him that made him stumble backwards.

An outstretched hand. Panting, Nux's eyes automatically darted up to meet Flay's single eye. "Alright, that's 'nough," Flay sighed, his voice still musical but toned down. "Let's call it a truce."

Suspicious, Nux stood up on unsteady legs and shoved the hand away. "Yeah? How's that?"

"We scuffed it out!" Flay tossed up his hands. "Isn't that how us Boys are supposed to settle things? 'Nough of this, let's make peace."

"Why would I wanna make peace with you, _fuck_?" Nux spat.

"C'mon Nux, this has gone on long enough, ya think? Why don't we forget all of it."

Nux laughed, spiting venom. "Right! You'd forget it. Just like how you forgot to leave my rig alone."

Flay shook his head and looked up. "I'll prove it, yeah? How's this. As a show o' my good faith, praise be Immortan..." He crossed his fingers in a V8 salute, "...I'll give you my spot in the convoy."

Nux balked, then just stared at Flay. "Sod off."

"I'm serious, yeah? On that Barter Town mission, with your little Imperator, the Full Metal Bi– the Sheila – you can drive my Humvee. Better yet..." Flay paused, and gestured back at the vehicle, "As a _full_ show of my good faith, I'll even give her to ya."

The Boys around them murmured, shocked by the offer. Flay wasn't in the top ranks, but among the support artillery, he did very well. Nux's heart began to pound. Flay's ride was beyond glory. Forget his Deluxe, even Nux's old Chevy Coupe was a pale comparison. _The Razorback_...Nux glanced over to the armored car covered in scavenged Buzzard spikes...It was up there with the War Rig.

"The Razorback. Bullshit." Nux stated, suspicious, yet intrigued. With the glimpse of himself at the wheel again, he sensed a sting of a memory yet to be lived. _On a rescue mission, barrelling across the desert alongside his comrades, the Razorback's engine growling through his fingertips._ All his worries about fitting back in, all of that fear and physical pain suddenly became worth it just for this infinitesimal hope of becoming a _driver_ again. In this moment, he had never wanted anything more. Well, almost anything. Another thought popped into his mind. He would have a vehicle again. _On a rescue mission, barrelling along the railway tracks to bring Capable home._ Nux's heart began to race. Holy cross, this was actually _real_. War Boys only ever honored their word, and with so many around as witness, Flay would by all accounts be held to it.

 _But why?_ Nux squinted at Flay and crossed his arms. "And what if I refuse?"

Flay paced in front of him. "Really? What kinda question is that? Look, I've given you a way out! Let's just say, if you're stupid enough to say no, you better sleep with one eye open," Flay laughed, pulling down his own lid. He strode over to the Razorback and patted her grey hood. "She's lovely. Worth ten of your Deluxes, and nice and shine. She's all yours..." Flay turned to him, smiling, "...as an exchange. To show your good faith, prove your loyalty to your brothers. Show whose side you're really on."

Nux's stomach tightened. _Of course. A catch._ The dream of riding was beginning to slip through his fingers, but he wasn't ready to let go of it yet. Nux's heart drummed with possibilities. With the Deluxe gone, he had so little to offer up other than Old World music and dusty china. However, something else unsettled him, filling his throat with sand. "What..." he stuttered, "What do you want?"

"Naw, not a what," Flay smirked and strolled to the open garage, peering down into the yard. "A who." Nux ran up to the edge and looked down, but he already knew. Nux's entire body grew numb as he saw a small figure fussing around the convoy. A small figure with long, rust-colored hair.

~o~

Nux was rushing, running, stumbling down endless oily tunnels towards the engine bay alone, consumed by only one thought. _Find her_. With every pained breath, Flay's musical words rang out again and again in his ears: _"It's_ _a fair trade! That wife of yours for my Razorback. Being generous, really."_

Nux clenched his jaw tight and stormed down the stairs, his palm still tingling from having shaken Flay's repulsive hand.

 _"Gonna ride her. Niiice and slow."_

Just a few flights down to go, but Flay's voice sucked all the strength from his limbs. To keep from collapsing, Nux tried counting each trembling footstep, but Flay's icy words only drowned out his own thoughts: _"What's wrong? In love with her or somethin'? You made a deal, mate. Bring her here by dark, or I'm gonna cut you down."_

Just when his lungs were ready to collapse, Nux burst through a set of doors into the bright engine bay. The bustle of the massive room and the squeal of vehicles were a numb drone to Nux's ears as he scanned for signs of Capable. To his relief, he spotted her right away near the entrance of the yard, walking with her duffle bag.

Nux began running over, but slowed down to prevent raising alarm. He took a deep breath to silence the warhammer bursting from his ribs, and cautiously approached her side. Her face was pallid and her eyes puffy and red, but she immediately lit up upon seeing him. "Nux, there you are! I was just looking for you!" Capable beamed, but her brow suddenly narrowed on seeing his state. She dropped her bag and reached a hand up to his freshly bruised face. "What's the matter? You're all sweaty. Is that a new scrape? Did you –"

"It's nothing!" Nux forced a smile. "Was just rushing to find you! Thought you left already," he fibbed. His Adam's apple jumped as he swallowed hard. "Wanted to see you off."

Capable snorted. "Nux, it's not like I would have left without saying _goodbye_." She shook her head, clearly amused. However, her smile quickly disappeared. "But that might not matter anymore now, because..." her voice trailed off, and she looked to the ground. "It's just..."

Nux shifted back and forth on his feet. "What? What's the matter?"

Capable looked away with pursed lips. "I dunno. Ah, never mind."

"Cape..." Nux said again more sternly, and reached out to tug her wrist. "Tell me."

After a few moments of silence, she looked up to meet his eyes, and exhaled hard. "It's just... I've been having second thoughts." She took his hand, and he tried to supress his trembling. "Nux, I don't think that I should go. I've talked with Ruin and some in the convoy about it already. I can't leave things like this, after everything we've built here and...with us. This is stupid!"

Nux's eyes went wide. _If she stays, Flay will find her_. Nux roughly shook his head. "No, Cape, you need to go. It's what you want! All this medic training's been for this." _Can't believe I'm saying this._

"I know, it's just...there's more to it all than what I led on," she frowned, and looked up at him with those sorrowful eyes. "I'm worried I'm letting people down and doing something I can't take back."

"No!" Nux repeated, a bit tersely. "I mean...no. Hell, you've done enough for me, for others. This is a chance to do something that's right for you! To be a medic," he assured her, his voice vibrating.

"But..." Capable toed the dirt, then looked up at him with swelling eyes. "But what about you?"

"Me? I'll be fine!" Another forced grin. "Cape, just found out something brilliant...My old mates just gave me a rig! The Razorback!" He swung back to look at a group of War Boys who seemed a bit too interested in their conversation than usual. He ignored them and continued. "Gonna ride again! Who knows, maybe I'll even catch you up, meet you in your hometown. See? I'll be 'right." Every word hurt.

At that moment, some more War Boys entered the bay and stared straight at them, making Nux's skin go cold. "C'mon." Nux grabbed Capable's hand and led her out into the yard where the convoy was at the ready.

~o~

For the next hour or so, until the sun began to disappear behind the monoliths, the two sat on the hood of a convoy rig and talked. The three other vehicles stood side by side near the industrial lift, covered with assorted weapons and stocked with goods for trade. They ignored the bustling going on about them, unless Capable was called for one task or another. Nux regaled her about the Razorback, and spun tales about how the rescue mission would be his chance to move up the ranks again. For a few minutes Nux got lost in his own fantasies, allowing his excitement to mask the caustic dread burning a hole through his stomach. Capable listened intently, and told him about her own convoy's route, but never mentioned the railroad journey or Roads. So this would be it, parting on false tales and words unsaid.

The yard had grown busy, full of spectators eager to send off today's group in the final hour. Her team was gathered in the yard with the Bullet Farm General, in lieu of Furiosa, who was recovering from her surgery in the treatment room. Capable's crew, an assortment of twenty-some War Boys and Wretcheds, waited at the ready.

Capable's sisters and Max stopped by to see her off, so Nux watched their goodbyes from afar. Other than Capable's long, solemn embrace with Max, and her steady flow of tears, this parting seemed disturbingly cordial. Perhaps none of the women knew of Capable's betrayal: that she would not be returning to them. However, he noticed that Toast stood on the edge with arms crossed, not sharing the others' joy. He had a sudden urge to run over, spill Capable's secret, but didn't dare.

After the ex-wives departed, Capable returned to his side, her cheeks glistening. "I'll...I'll be back as soon as I – " she began, but was overcome by tears.

"I know," Nux lied as well. After a moment's hesitation, Nux grasped her arm and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. He inhaled deeply into her, trying to memorize her smoky scent. However, he still sensed the eyes of the Boys scattered around the yard. When they parted, Capable took his hand and placed something small inside. He opened it up to find a tiny porcelain bird with a silver head. Splendid's gull. "Just to..." she couldn't finish this sentence, but Nux knew and nodded. _Remember._

The field surgeon pushed through a crowd of onlookers and gestured at Capable. "All set? We're good to head off. Need to make it to the canyon camp by dark."

"Right," Capable responded, and led Nux to her vehicle.

As the rest of the crew climbed on board and other War Boys looked on, Nux exhaled hard. The audience be damned. Pulling back, Nux lifted her chin and kissed her. Suddenly he was drifting on the ocean, lost to her waves, and there was no trade or convoy stealing her away from him. The desperate way her lips moved on his own matched his own unbearable need: to crowd an entire lifetime of lost promises into a single moment. Nux closed his eyes, both savoring the rain and mourning that it would be the last time he would get to taste it.

Finally breaking away, he looked at her but couldn't bear to meet her eyes. The wind picked up and sent a chill through him. Nux began to shake, but not from the cold. Once he managed to still his trembling hands, he forced the most difficult smile and stroked her cheek. "See you soon, love."

~o~

When the last of the trucks disappeared behind the Main Butte, Nux drudged back inside the engine bay. His bones had long since turned to iron, and their resistance made each step up the stairs tiresome. Nux was consumed by a familiar longing not felt since that kiss in the gardens; he wished to be back in that wreckage, with his body picked clean by crows and spirit in the glory above.

Nux passed cajoling figures on the way up, but they were nothing more than obstacles blocking his path. Nux wanted to be away from prying eyes, but he couldn't stomach going to his room now to find it cleared of her things. There wouldn't be female garments scattered haphazardly on the furniture, or books left open on the bed, or hair ribbons cast in heaps on the floor. Instead, he retreated to the empty garage that held the carcass of his rig.

He made it through the door of the garage but immediately lost balance, falling against the doorframe. Cancer, beatings, broken bones hadn't hurt like this. After a few breaths, he dragged his husk to the edge of the open garage door, where a winch swayed in the light breeze. Far down below, the yard had mostly emptied out. Nux dropped himself down and leaned against the opening, hanging his injured leg over the edge. Nux swung his foot in the air and looked to the east, where her convoy could just be seen making their way towards the canyon. With them, they scattered away everything he had once come to hope for, like cherry blossoms in the wind. However, with their departure, emerged a tiny sprout of new, unexpected hope. Capable was gone, but she was _safe_. Flay would never get to lay a single rotten hand on her.

Out in the distance, the trucks turned into mere grains of sand, soon to be a shadow on his memory. Nux played with the seagull pendant, then glanced back to the door. They would come for him in a few hours and find him emptyhanded. He had had no choice but to half-heartedly shake on Flay's sick trade. If Nux had outright refused, he would have been killed on the spot and not been able to make sure she got away. Nux's stomach clenched with fear...to think she almost stayed.  
Flay would be furious when he found out what Nux had done to keep her safe, and would most certainly kill him. However, a strange sense of relief washed over him. Nux blinked and savored the cool wind on his new injuries. He would never get to ride again, kiss her again, make love to her, but all that was somehow okay. She was safe, finally free to find her real home, free to find or make a family of her own. Just like she wanted. Free from the men who stole from her again and again. Since the moment Nux spun the War Rig's wheel for her at the expense of his own life, her freedom was all that mattered.

Anxiously anticipating their approach, Nux distracted himself by focusing on the landscape before him. The colors across the Wasteland this evening were stunning. A tapestry of auburn hues, swirling with clouds made from cotton and silk. Nux leaned his head against the wall, admiring this canvass made of mountains and sky, and was soothed by their familiar hues. However, tonight's setting sun added a particular hue across the canyon...the rich tint of rust. Nux felt a swell of comfort. If this was how he would die, with the emerging stars as his witness, the earth awash in her wonderful color, well, that wasn't a bad way to go. _Funny,_ he thought, as a smile drew across his scarred lips, _never thought I'd love such a shade of rust._


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Capable.**

The Humvee rocked over the uneven terrain, spinning up dust. Capable gripped the frame tightly to keep from flying into the War Boys sitting next to her. While her head throbbed with each rough bump, the other three Boys facing her rocked along with the truck, grinning madly. Seeing these bright young men in their war paint, their mannerisms so similar to Nux, made Capable's stomach tighten painfully. She quickly glanced away, but it took every last cell in her being to keep from breaking down into sobs again. Capable averted her puffy eyes up at the evening sky, where deep red shades swirled together like syrup.

The vehicle's roar was matched only by the incessant rattle of the trailer towed behind their Humvee. It would be used to retrieve the medical supplies, but right now it only held rations and two bikes, one being Capable's. Her new mentor, a field surgeon named Skarde, chattered loudly over the ruckus. Capable tried her best to listen to him, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the Citadel through the kicked up dust.

"..So ever seen that?" Skarde asked.

"Huh? What?" Capable sputtered and looked at him. _Can he see my red eyes?_

"A severed femoral," he repeated.

Capable shook her head no, which was a sufficient response for him to keep prattling on. Capable returned her focus to the sandy dunes, resisting the urge to look up at the monoliths of the Citadel in the distance. If she did, there was a risk she may lose all strength and tumble off the vehicle.

Skarde gestured towards the Citadel. "That blinking light. That's our radio tower, yeah? Nice to see it working. Whatcha think its saying?"

Capable shook her head. "Dunno," she lied. The tower would be receiving pleas for help from far off lands…for some other medic, for some other time.

Capable squirmed next to Skarde. It was hard to get comfortable on the truck bed, plus something had been unsettling her since her departure. It was as if her stomach had become tangled with razor wire. Maybe it was the sour goodbye with Toast, or perhaps Nux's jittery behavior on leaving: _"Meet you in your hometown."_ Their entire farewell felt off, distorted, like peering through the hot haze of a mirage. Then there was the… _incident_ with Nux. Her stomach panged on recalling their previous night. She had used alcohol to try to force something to happen with him, but that clearly didn't work. It wasn't that she owed intimacy to him. She owed it to herself, to feel free from Joe once and for all. Even so, it was for all the wrong reasons, and she had hurt Nux in the process. _Oh, Nux…_

Her eyes began to swell up again, and Skarde must have noticed, asking, "S'matter? Gonna be sick?"

Capable swallowed the lump in her throat. "Just sand in my eyes."

Skarde gave her a lopsided grin. "Well, you should be wearin' goggles!"

Obliging, Capable lifted the pair hanging around her neck and placed them on. At least they hid her reddened eyes. The Citadel's radio tower blinked at her, but she looked away. That light marked the place of all the things unfinished and things unsaid to the people she loved, but with the desert between her and the Citadel growing every second, what did it matter now.

~o~

It wasn't long before they entered the hilly dunes of the Badlands. Capable was trying to focus on Skarde's lessons rather than her own churning stomach when she noticed that the other War Boys had grown eerily quiet. That's when she noticed the bleached bones sticking out of the sand. _Of course._ This was Buzzard territory, in the hour when these underground inhabitants came out to feed. While War Boys appeared fearless even of death itself, Capable wasn't fooled. They were still human, and Joe's indoctrination had simply shifted that fear underground. All around her were stone faces masking worry that they may join the poor souls dragged below the earth, their paths to Valhalla forever blocked.

The only one seemingly untroubled was Skarde, who was busy instructing Capable about chest wounds. A handsome middle-aged War Boy, Skarde bore a cleft lip always pulled into a grin. Capable had first shadowed him two weeks prior, and while his approach was less delicate than Ruin's, Capable liked him instantly. His medical bag was completely covered with medals of his accomplishments, yet the one skill he seemed to be lacking was silence.

"Take extra care with crush injuries. Don't go moving 'em if they've been cooking too long under the rig. All that pooled blood'll clot up and kill 'em. Best to just amputate right there. Nasty smell though, gets in your sinuses…you'll taste morgue for weeks!"

"Right," Capable replied weakly. His words were beginning to make her stomach want to separate from her body.

Suddenly, Capable spun to the edge of the rig and retched up her remaining rations. Once finished, Capable hung over the side, watching the tires spin up sand. A brief gust of cool evening wind soothed her flushed skin. _Getting pissed the night before your journey? Just to make leaving them easier? Brilliant idea, Capable. Probably your best yet._ After a minute, Capable plunked herself back down next to Skarde, trying not to meet his amused gaze.

"Alright, love?" he asked.

"Now I am," Capable groaned. "Nothing left in me now."

Skarde chortled. "Yeah, Joe's whisky'll do that!"

The War Boys sitting against the back of the truck smirked at Capable, and one threw her a salute. Fortunately the other vehicles hadn't noticed, unlike earlier. When Capable had vomited off the truck just outside the Citadel, the other cars had hollered and waved.

Great," she groaned and dropped her head onto her knees. "Just the way to start the trip with them."

"Naw, is good!" Skarde grinned. "They reckoned you were some delicate wife. Promise they don't think that now."

"But I puked!" Capable balked.

"So?" Skarde gestured at a sweet-faced War Boy sitting across on the right. "Jax here was hurling up guzzoline all last night. Just means you're one of us now!"

Capable tilted her head. What a strange initiation into this substitute family. After a blessed minute of silence, Skarde reached into his bag and pulled out a small tin. "Here."

Capable bit her lip. "Medicine?" _Or worse, alcohol?_

"Just salted ginger," Skarde assured her. "For the stomach. Might help with that lovely taste, too."

Nodding, Capable took a piece of dried plant and popped it into her mouth. _Chew crunch chew._

While the plant helped with the nausea, it did little to untangle the knot in her gut that tightened with every thought of Nux or the girls. With the journey well underway, she had hoped to finally feel some closure by now. _No, not closure._ Relief from this sensation of being slowly, painfully crushed.

~o~

After another hour, the convoy reached the eastward road that would take them into the heart of the canyon, where they would camp for the night before heading north. Capable gazed across the landscape with half open eyelids, but sat up straight when she spotted a familiar rock formation. This was where they stopped after the sandstorm, where Max dragged both himself and Nux into their lives. Her throat tightened, recalling that terrifying storm.

 _Potatoes rolled across Capable's feet as the women pressed knee to knee in the suffocating darkness. If not for the howling wind, the constant barrage of debris striking the tanker could have been mistaken for the bullets of the army in pursuit._

 _Capable's sternum ached from the force of her heart drumming against it. Each breath tasted of burnt guzzoline and rotten produce. The wind howled louder, and swells of fear came in faster and faster waves. It was as if the monstrous iron tanker was digesting them down to bones. Capable tried to focus on the warmth of Toast's hand in her own to keep from passing out or screaming. In that moment, she was no longer a thing, not even a piece of shrapnel or produce, just a bruised nothing at the compete will of the storm and men trying to devour her._

The Humvee stopped suddenly, jerking Capable from her memory. Glancing around at the calm sands, the world seemed so peaceful now compared to that nightmare. Then why did she still feel that sucking confinement now?

The War Boys in the four vehicles began dismounting to begin the scheduled maintenance checks, so Capable reluctantly followed suit. When some men jumped off the nearest rig, it caused the truck bed to compress with a crink. _The sound of metal striking skull_. Capable shuddered, then scurried behind the Humvee to begin her assigned task of checking wheel wells for damage.

While she pried out some stones, a young War Boy with a broken nose eyed her curiously. "Need a hand?"

Capable reached behind the tire and twisted off a piece of rust. "I'm okay, thanks."

The Boy came to stand next to her, studying each of her actions. Capable rolled her eyes. _So it begins_. He kicked a stone. "So you'll be leaving us up north, I hear! Why's that?"

"Looking for someone. From a long time ago," she responded without taking her eye off the wheel.

"Tha's a long, long way to look. Sure they're alive?"

"Yes," Capable stated flatly. However, the word felt somehow hollow.

The War Boy picked at his clay paint on his shoulder. "And if you can't find them?"

"I…" Capable began, then stopped. She hadn't really thought about it. What if she couldn't find Roads? She would be trapped alone in that ghost town. What desperate means would she need to resort to in order to survive? "I'll manage," she added curtly.

"Tha's good." The Boy leaned against the truck. "Got everything?…A gun?" Capable shifted her leg away from his view, where a small pistol was strapped to her boot. He continued: "I've heard there are enough raiders up north to take out a War Rig. Just keep that hair a' yours hidden, and don't make friendly with any of us men folk. You'll be 'right, though!"

She forced a smile and skirted past him to the next tire. "Thanks."

The Boy followed her. "So whatchu running from?"

Cable spun around and glared at him. " _What?_ "

He took a step back, wide-eyed. "Uh…Said, what are you running on?" He pointed to her canteen at her waist.

"Oh. Just water," she muttered, feeling herself go flush. _Go easy. He's just a kid._

"Tha's no good! Come by camp in the canyon tonight. We've got enough of Joe's whisky for ten weeks, let alone three!" He looked away at another truck revving its engine. "Ah, my rig's ready, miss. See ya at camp!"

Capable nodded and moved onto to finish the wheels.

Her head was still swimming with the War Boy's questions by the time the convoy began moving again. Skarde plopped down next to her, interrupting her thoughts. "We should reach the canyon by dark," he smiled. "Must be getting pretty chuffed about seeing your hometown!"

 _Hometown._ "Yeah," Capable fibbed, clenching her jaw. "I guess."

The trucks moved to full speed, so Capable pulled herself up and stood against the back of the rig. She peered ahead to the approaching canyon, and tried to stir some sense of excitement. "Roads," she whispered aloud, "Our farm…picking raspberries." She repeated it like a mantra, but felt nothing but that tangling, knotting dread.

There was a tug on her shirt, and she looked down to see Skarde's stern face. "Better sit back down. Rock Riders might be friendly with us now, but they're still on the lookout for anything funny. Including a War Girl."

 _War Girl,_ Capable smiled slightly. She sat back down, but her thoughts were once again flooded by that last fateful night with Roads. Even now she could hear the panicking chickens, see the men hop off the truck, and something else. When she had confided in Max, she had left out this single detail. She told herself that what she saw in the dirt was just a trick of the light. A broken memory. For a brief moment, right before the bag was forced over her head, she might have seen moonlight reflecting off liquid next to a dark, crumpled form.

No, Roads must be alive. _He has to be, or else I wouldn't have given everything up for nothing._

~o~

When the vehicle finally reached the monstrous canyon walls, silence fell upon the noisy rig. To her right she could just make out the treacherous, snaking path over the canyon that led her to Nux. She recalled how close she had come to tumbling into a crevice. A foot further and she would still be in there now, feeding shadow creatures. Furiosa and the others would never have known what had become of her. It sent chills through her, even now.

"Almost at camp! Think we'll be in time for a rations?" The skinny War Boy sitting across beamed to the others.

"Food, Jax? Is that all you think about?" his friend next to him laughed, then his eyes widened as he stared ahead. "Oy! Look!"

Capable spun around to follow his gaze and was met by the canyon's full height. The sun's rays painted the massive mountain face in an eerie tint of blood, save for the enormous shadow cloaking the entrance.

"Here we go!" Skarde cheered.

As her rig followed close behind the first truck entering the gorge, Capable's heart clenched with a terrible realization. Now was her last chance to see the Citadel, the place where she had spent the last eight turbulent years of her life. Her last chance to bear witness to a makeshift family that made her life bearable and sometimes even beautiful. Capable quickly pulled herself up onto the roof and away from the Boys below.

"Oy! Down!" Skarde called out, but she ignored him, heart racing. A flag adorned with the Citadel's skull licked the air above her. It would be excruciating, but she needed to see it one more time. _Just one more time._

Capable spun around and gazed back through the canyon walls across the vast red sands. _There._ The massive mountains of the Citadel were mere specks on the horizon, mostly consumed by the night. That's when she saw it. Directly above the monoliths, tucked into the expanse of the universe, was the first star to wake up. _Her_ star, the one that had brought her safely home.

 _Home._

With that word Capable's body grew weak, and she nearly tumbled off the truck. She grabbed the bar of the vehicle just in time, her moist hands skidding along the slick metal. Capable's throat constricted just as the Citadel and her star were sucked from view behind the canyon's walls.

"Should get down! Rock riders near!" Skarde urged, but Capable heard nothing over the thunder of that word repeating in her head. _Home._ She had just left her home, the Citadel, where Nux, Toast, and every living person she loved dearly remained.

 _Every living person._ With that thought came not a slow realization, but a jolt to her ribcage. That awful crink of iron, the glistening liquid on the dirt path, they meant only one thing. She had been lying to herself, all this time. Roads was dead. _Roads is dead!_ All strength left her arms and she crumpled to the truck bed next to Skarde.

Capable curled up against the rig, and everything appeared in doubles. "Roads…" she croaked. "Nux…"

Skarde called out something to her, but his words bled into each other. The vibration of the truck became painful, stinging insects on her skin. The further they pushed into the winding entrails of the canyon, the tighter the walls constricted. Even the sky pressed down on her. The canyon became a living creature, closing in around her, ready to swallow her hole.

Wild eyed, Capable spun around and gripped Skarde's arm tight. "Skarde, I need off!"

"We're just about to. Look!" He pointed to an assortment of bright lights a hundred meters ahead. "There's the camp."

"No. I need off now!" she cried. "Please!"

Skarde signaled to the driver through the back window. Before the Humvee had even rolled to a stop, Capable leapt off the side and ran to the trailer. "Can be sick off the truck if you need! Sand washes it off!" Skarde's voice trailed behind her.

Capable slid to the ground against the trailer, her stomach pulling the knots even tighter into an infinite tangle. "He's dead!" she cried, gripping handfuls of sand. _Roads is gone, and I left my only home for nothing!_ She screamed out to the canyon and slammed her head back against the tire, again and again.

A small War Boy appeared beside her. "Miss Capable? Y'alright?"

Capable wheezed, trying to breathe. She had given up everything to chase a memory. _I've given everything up._

"Miss! What's wrong?" The War Boy paced before her, but she couldn't register him through blurry eyes. After a few moments her breathing relaxed, but her chest was still constricted by that solid knot. _Home. Hometown._ That's when Capable sensed it in the corner of her vision: a loose strand that could unravel this mess. Closing her eyes, Capable let her mind grow light, searching in the dark, until she finally grasped it.

 _"_ _Meet you in your hometown."_

Ice darted up her spine. _Oh my gods_. She had never told Nux about her hometown. How the hell could he have known? Had he overheard her talking to Max? In that case, then Nux would know that she could never return. _Oh cross, oh no!_

"Some water?" The Boy asked, worried.

"No, thank you," she finally sputtered, and her heart drummed over the echo of vehicles in the canyon. If Nux knew, why didn't he fight tooth and nail for her to stay? Capable stood up on shaking legs and leaned on the trailer. Or rather, why would he push her to go?

There was only one way to find out. She pulled her trembling form up onto the hitched trailer and crawled over ration cases to her Ural bike secured in the center. At that moment, Skarde appeared and hopped up after her. "What's going on, love?"

"I…I need to go back," Capable sputtered. "To the Citadel."

"What?" He gaped at her. "Go back _now_? We got two weeks to the bush camp ahead of us!"

"I know, but…I need to. I can't explain!" She cried out, trying to keep her voice from shattering.

"Oy! W'as happening?" The driver called from the front, watching the commotion, but Skarde waved him off. "Hold on, Ace!" The other War Boys looked on. "What? _Now?_ What of your trip to your hometown?" Skarde rubbed his neck.

Capable didn't answer, and returned her attention to her motorcycle. She reached out to grab a strap, but her wrist was met by resistance. Capable spun around, ready to kick, bite, or whatever necessary to leave this choking canyon, when she met Skarde's solemn gaze.

"Oy, it's okay," he soothed, and let go of her arm. "Not gonna stop ya. Know you wouldn't let me if I tried. Sure it can't wait till morning?"

She shook her head.

"Alright. Bit surprised, is all. But I'll feel better discharging you if you head out with someone." He looked around, then beckoned over a sweet faced Boy looking on. "Jax. He's a scout, supposed to head back tomorrow anyways. Hey! Maybe you two can swap hangover stories," Skarde smirked. Noticing Capable's skepticism, he added, "Love, I'd feel better looking Ruin in the eye again knowing I hadn't sent her girl out alone at night to be Buzzard food."

Capable nodded, then moved to the front of her bike to detach the largest strap. However, she couldn't manipulate the buckle with her trembling hands. She groaned in frustration, when Skarde's hand appeared on her own. Capable froze, staring at him. He nudged her out of the way and began calmly loosening the straps.

"Ya sure this is what you wanna to do?" He asked softly.

Capable looked up to him, her eyes glistening. "More than anything I've ever done."

He released the first strap. "Sure you'll be 'right driving the Badlands?"

"Done it before, but with a dying man on my back." She gave a small smile. "I can do it."

Skarde laughed and shook his head. "Don't doubt that."

~o~

While the Humvee slowly pulled into the canyon camp, Capable scrambled about on the trailer getting her gear in order. After freeing her bike, Capable hopped off and said goodbye to her fellow companions, while Skarde helped Jax with his own bike. Once the rides were ready, Capable turned to Skarde and reached out a hand to her mentor.

"Thank you Skarde, for everything. Sorry to have wasted your time, that wasn't my plan at all," she frowned. "I just think someone needs me more now than I need training."

Skarde shrugged. "But you learned things, yeah?"

Capable slowly nodded.

"Then no time wasted," he beamed, and accepted her hand in a firm shake. "Plus I'm the one sorry. Was looking forward to working with ya. But at least it's no longer farewell!" Skarde grinned. "And who reckons! Hear there might be a scouting run soon in need of a medic," he added, winking.

As Capable shifted the bike onto the sand, Skarde rubbed his head. "You're absolutely mental, you know."

Capable snorted. "So I've been told."

"Ride safe," Skarde smiled, patting her hand.

Capable nodded, and with a hard stomp on the pedal, kicked the bike and her own fluttering heart to life.

~o~

Capable and her companion flew out of the canyon and into the encroaching night, racing the darkness and creatures that would soon emerge. Words like _rash_ and _stupid_ went through her brain. But also, _home._ She kept expecting feelings of guilt and sickening regret to come, but to her surprise, only one sense did… relief. This felt nothing but right.

Looking quickly behind her as they exited the canyon, the convoy camp disappeared from view. With it ended her connection to that small little farming town with red dust, and a brother who was no longer anywhere.

There was no movement across the landscape except for a few scavenging crows among bleached bones of War Boys gone. Capable switched gears and drove over the dunes concealing underground networks of Buzzards caverns, following her star. Her shadow, cast by the last glimpse of the setting sun behind her, led the way. The bike squealed and lurched ahead as thoughts swam with Nux's strange behavior. She gripped the leather handles and leaned forward, willing it, _go go go!_

The Citadel grew larger each second against the starry backdrop. Once free of the graveyard, her heart had a strange flutter. What was this, nerves? No. This was too light and comforting. This was excitement. For the first time in many weeks, she felt excited. She would see them all again. Her sisters, her friends, her…Nux. She would see them again! How could she have ever dreamed of parting?  
The bike growled and brought her closer and closer with every second. She was going home.

~o~

The skies were black by the time Capable and Jax passed through the gates. The guardsman sat up straight as the pair raced by, but returned to huffing guzzoline when he saw that it was just two small riders.

Capable followed Jax through the half open engine bay door and both pulled to a stop by the War Rig. The bay was empty except for a few strays working on their vehicles by lamplight. On gazing around the chamber that she had thought she had said goodbye to forever, her heart began to sing. However, something still did not sit right in her stomach. It was Nux's odd words, his strange enthusiasm for his new ride, the… _what was it? The Razorback_. He had his Deluxe. Why did he suddenly have a new ride?

Jax nodded goodbye to her and made his way over to a few loitering War Boys. However, Capable dropped her bike and ran after him. "Heya!" she called, "Jax. Do you know anything about the Razorback?"

The young Boy turned to her and rubbed his chin. "The rig? Yeah, I've seen her. She's real nice, tough as shit and covered with Buzzard spines. Why?"

"Who owns her?" Capable asked, squeezing her fists.

Jax shrugged, to Capable's dismay. Then a nearby War Boy perked up. "Oy isn't that..." he gestured by covering half his face with one hand.

"Oh yeah!" Jax smiled, turning back to Capable. "This big fella. Wheel scar, and missing an eye."

A cold shiver crawled up Capable's neck. "Oh my gods," she gasped, her vocal chords stiffening with ice. " _Better watch yourself round here, sweetheart."_ That one eyed War Boy's musical voice echoed in her skull. How could she not have seen it before!

"I…I have to go!" She tore across the room to the exit, abandoning her bike on the stone floor. Her brain began racing with terrible thoughts of what might have happened since she left. _What does that awful man want with Nux? Was he the one who attacked him? Oh my gods, Nux!_

With new desperation, she raced up the Citadel to check his usual haunts. Their room was just as she had left it. She ran up to the roof, now overcast and dark, and found his bikecycle in its normal spot. _His Deluxe._ Capable was passing through the deserted rations hall on her way to the garage when she spotted a lone War Boy slouched over a jar of whisky. Recognizing the scar on his bicep, Capable made her way over to him.

"Hey! Auroch, right?"

Nux's friend jumped and looked up from the bench, his face tightening in shock. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be gone!" he snapped, wide-eyed.

Capable knitted her brow. "Plans…changed. Have you seen Nux?"

He shook his head. "Not since this afternoon. Wanted to tell him what they did to his rig, but didn't have the heart, poor kid…" His shoulders slumped. "What did that kid ever do? They're a bunch a fekkin' sheep."

"What?" Capable gaped. "What rig? The Razorback? Is this about that War Boy without an eye?"

Auroch took a deep swig of his drink. "I've been a shite mate. But what can I do, jus' me?" He swung his arms wide. "Nux doesn't deserve this."

A shiver ran up Capable's spine. Suddenly, Auroch grabbed her hand, and she jumped back. However, he managed to keep hold and stared hard into her. "Just get yourself somewhere safe, love! He'd want you safe. Lock yourself in that big Vault if you have to."

Letting go of her hand, Auroch pulled himself to stand. After casting one long, sorrowful glance back at her, Auroch grabbed the jar and disappeared out into the dark hallway. As soon as she was alone in the wide chamber, the sense of suffocation returned. What had Auroch meant? Her eyes darted around at the shadows, which now seemed to shift and sway.

Sickening dread crawled up her throat. If Nux faced trouble with other soldiers, what bloody good was she? What could one ex-slave, an ex-mother, a reckless medic do? Capable began pacing, suddenly paralyzed by this truth. Eventually she gripped her fists and drew long, controlled breaths. What she needed was support, the weight of an army behind her. Capable stopped dead in her tracks with an uncomfortable realization. What she really needed was an Imperator.

~o~

Capable's lungs stung as she and tore up the dark, familiar stairwell. She rushed down the medical wing hallway, but on reaching the familiar door of the treatment room, she stopped dead. Capable simply stared ahead at the heavy door, unable to summon her muscles to move forward. Finally, after the hardest breath she had ever taken, she pushed her way inside.

The room was illuminated by fluorescent bulbs, with fresh air and starlight spilling in from the far opening in the wall. Capable quickly scanned the room, then saw her on one of the far beds near that handsome nurse with the damaged face. Capable mouth grew parched and her skin prickled in anticipation of Furiosa's searing glare. Finally, gripping her fists tight, Capable ran forward, calling out, "Furiosa!"

Her Imperator sat up straight in bed. "Capable?" What…what the _hell_ are you doing here?" she gaped. "Why aren't you on the convoy?"

"I was! We got as far as the canyon, then I left," Capable replied shortly. "Furiosa, Nux needs – "

"W _hat?_ " Furiosa interrupted, her eyes growing hot. The nurse left her side and Furiosa pulled herself off the bed. Furiosa's febrile face contorted in pain, adding to the grotesque glare at Capable. "What in the heavenly _fuck_ were you thinking? Leaving the convoy? Out in the dark on your own? _Again?"_

Capable swallowed and stared at her Imperator. Even without her mechanic arm, Furiosa was menacing. Taking another strained breath, Capable spilled out, "I had to! There's something bad happening with Nux!"

"What is wrong with you?" Furiosa replied, ignoring her plea. "Ruin worked hard to get you on that convoy run! Do you just _love_ trying to sabatoge everything we've worked hard for?" Furiosa threw up her arm, pacing along the floor. Her entire body trembled, either from fever or anger.

Capable clenched her jaw, sensing her own anger rising. "There will be other runs. There are more important things to deal with first!"

"And those important things couldn't have waited till you got back?" Furiosa snapped, then grabbed her metal arm from the edge of the bed and roughly began strapping it on. "Three weeks!" she yelled, "In three weeks, you'd be back! Honestly Capable, I – "

" _Furiosa!_ " Capable snapped, her voice echoing in the sterile chamber. "I wasn't coming back!"

Furiosa froze with her hand midair. Capable glared up at her with her chest heaving. Her fists were growing white but she kept squeezing them harder to keep from shaking. After a moment she continued, her voice calmer. "I was leaving the Citadel…for good."

Blood immediately drained from Furiosa's face. The only sound came from the murmur of the other patients, a few Wretcheds and a War Boy undergoing cancer treatment, who were listening in on the conversation.

Capable exhaled and leaning her fists into the bed linens. "You knew the convoy was passing near my old home. I thought I would take my chances and go find my brother." Capable frowned. "I wouldn't have been able to find a way back here, even if I tried."

"But how...but who…knew?" Furiosa gaped.

"Some of the convoy Boys helped me plan it. Other than that, only Max."

"Nux?"

Capable shook her head, and blinked away a hot sting behind her eyes.

Furiosa swayed slightly, then shuffled over to the window to lean against the ledge. Her shoulders slumped. "Why wouldn't you tell the girls? Or…me?" There was a slight shudder in her voice.

"Because I didn't want anyone to try to stop me," Capable stated, but that answer didn't feel right. Looking up, she met Furiosa's hard gaze. "Or maybe because that would've made it hurt too much to go."

They faced each other in silence. Was that pain creeping into the corners of Furiosa's eyes? A wince? A shooting star passed by the open window unnoticed.

Finally Furiosa spoke. "Well, if it was so important to go, why come back at all then?"

Capable rubbed her face. "'Cause Max was right, as always. There's nothing out there for me now." She looked up with pleading eyes. "Right now I really need your help, Furiosa! Something's going on here with Nux, and I need to know he's safe. He was acting strange earlier, and I'm terrified what the other War Boys might be doing to him." She swallowed. "But I can't face them alone."

"He's in the Citadel. He's safe," Furiosa replied curtly, cradling her side from her recent surgery.

Capable shook her head. "But he's not!" she cried. "Please! We're wasting time. Every second now we could be looking for him!"

"Capable, I'm sure he's fine." Furiosa sighed. "He's probably just with some of the other War Boys."

"But they're the ones who might hurt him!"

Furiosa lifted her chin and looked away. "War Boys need to settle their own rows. They'll respect him more for it."

"Furiosa, that's bullshit and you know it!" Capable snapped. "Nux has had a target on him since the moment we dragged him through the gates. They call him _traitor_ ," she muttered, shaking her head. "You just don't see what's happening. Maybe if you weren't trying to micromanage everything and let others help you for once, you would see that a lot of War Boys are rightly pissed off!"

This must have hit a nerve, since Furiosa marched up to Capable until their faces were mere inches apart. "I _know_ this Citadel more than my life! I know those War Boys and what they stand for! What they're capable of!"

"But do you?" Capable took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut. "There's something we never told you. Nux was beaten badly a few weeks ago. They could've killed him."

Furiosa stared. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped.

"He made me promise not to tell you." Capable bit her lip. "He refused to say who attacked him, being so stubborn and all, but I think what's going on now could be related." Her shoulders began trembling. "Furiosa, What if they hurt him? Or...or worse?" she cried.

A flicker of worry crossed Furiosa's face, but it quickly disappeared when she folded her arms. "They settle their own rows."

Capable groaned and dug her hands through her hair in frustration. "Look!" she snapped, raising her voice. "Everything that's been happening these last months since I brought Nux home…" she began, surprised she had any voice at all, "…I know it hasn't been easy between us. But I'm not going to apologize for risking my life to get Nux out of that canyon. I owed it to him to bring him home, alive or dead. That was the best decision I ever made." Capable's voice vibrated, while Furiosa's unblinking gaze burned into her. "Stay angry at me, hate me, that's fine, but don't you _dare_ use that anger to justify not helping Nux! He's as much a reason we're here today as you, so we all owe it to him to make sure he's safe!"

The chips and beeps of medical equipment were the only sounds as the two women stared at each other in prickly silence. Capable's fists were now white hot knots at her side.

Finally, Furiosa nodded. "Alright."

"Huh?" Capable croaked with her shaking voice.

Furiosa didn't answer. Instead, she tightened her arm strap and hobbled over to the next bed, where she began roughly feeling for something under the mattress.

Capable ran behind her, pacing. "Furiosa! Alright what?" she cried out, her heart still thumping.

Furiosa kept silent and moved onto the next mattress, still searching. That's when Capable saw her pull out the gun.

Once her arm was adjusted, Furiosa made her way past the cots towards the door on wobbly steps and spoke something to her guards at the entrance. Capable just stayed frozen in her spot, staring, until Furiosa turned back at her. "Well?" she asked impatiently, nodding her head towards the exit.

"Oh…" Capable sputtered, then beamed, "Alright!" With spirits renewed, Capable rushed to Furiosa's side and followed her out the door.

~o~

Capable marched along the dark tunnels next to Furiosa, accompanied by two guards and her own growing anxiety. However, with her nerves came a flicker of something else. Knowing she would get to touch and feel and kiss Nux again, Capable found herself floating.

After checking a few of Nux's usual haunts again to no avail, they decided to head into the riskier territory of the Western Butte. Capable's heartrate accelerated with every step closer to the garage containing his Deluxe. _He's probably fine,_ she unsuccessfully tried to convince herself. _This is probably just like that time he ran off to the gardens, moping._

Furiosa was breathing hard and moving at a crawling pace by the time they reached the bunk level, requiring Capable's arm for support. Other than the guards following ahead and behind, War Boys seemed oddly scarce in the hallway leading to the garage. Capable's heart jumped out of her chest on seeing the familiar garage entrance, her stomach now a mix of anxiety and fluttering excitement. The hall was empty save for a small trail of transmission fluid leading into the room. Finally giving into her impatience, Capable began to dart forward, but was stopped when Furiosa grabbed her arm. Furiosa gently crouched down and touched the drips on the ground.

Capable's eyes went wide. That was no transmission fluid. Electric fear threaded up her body, and Capable tore down the hall, following the crimson trail. The words _"NO! Capable!"_ and " _Wait!"_ chased her, but she ignored it and spun into the room.

She stopped dead by the doorway. To both her relief and dismay, it was empty. The wide open garage door spilled chilly air into the room. That was when Capable spotted it. Not the cannibalized vehicle to her right, but a tiny white thing on the floor by her feet. Flicked with droplets of blood, was a delicate, porcelain bird.

She let out a desperate cry and backed into the doorframe. Capable's limbs gave out and she slid down the wall until her palms hit the dust, just as Furiosa came hobbling inside. "What…"

Furiosa spoke words to her that swirled together, but Capable couldn't hear any of it. "I gave it to him..." Capable whimpered. "Nux wouldn't of…"

All she could do was stare at the bird near her feet. Her stomach boiled up with bile and the ultimate fear poured off her tongue.

"Dead!" Capable spilled out, nearly retching at the sound of it. "What if he's dead!" Waves of gasps interjected her words. Leaning in a crumbled pile, she pointed wildly at the bird abandoned to the dust.

Furiosa delicately leaned over to pick it up, then came to stand in front of Capable. "We don't know that." Furiosa crouched in front of her to gently rest a hand on her knee.

"But the bird, the blood –" Capable began.

"The trail's fresh. That means it may lead to Nux, and there might still be time." Capable sensed Furiosa place the tiny bird in her palm. "That means there's still hope." "Right? _That means_ …"

Capable looked up at Furiosa's intense eyes through strands of hair that clung to her cheeks with tears and saliva. Finally, as she cradled the bird, Capable repeated with new determination, "There's still hope."

With some effort, Furiosa pulled Capable's trembling form to stand. With the guards flanking each of them, Capable and Furiosa stormed their way out the door and into the terrifying unknown.


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Nux.**

Nux opened his eyes, blinking away the dried blood coating his lashes. His cheek was pressed into the dirt, and tiny flakes of iron on the ground flew into the air with each exhale. He tried sitting up, but the sudden movement knocked something loose in his skull, so all he could muster was rolling flat on his back. A soft evening breeze cooled his face as he tried to take in where he was. Tiny stars – _or fireflies, perhaps?_ – dotted the ceiling, while an acrid scent of guzzoline and something sour filled his nostrils.

Was this the canyon after wrecking the War Rig? Was he waiting for his body to bleed out and for crows to peck him away? Figures loitered around him, but the dim light made it too difficult to discern their faces. The image of their shadows dancing across the granite ceiling began to lull him back to sleep, until a voice shouted, "He's awake!"

Nux sat up fast, but groaned as sharp pain spread through his eyes. He quickly came to realize that this wasn't the canyon, but a wide room full of vehicles. The ceiling wasn't dotted with fireflies, but hanging lamps. That's when Nux spotted the spiked cowcatcher of the Razorback resting a few feet away, and it all came flooding back in a suffocating swell. _This is the Humvee workshop._ Flay had demanded that he return here at sundown…w _ith Capable_. With this realization, Nux grew nauseous.

Leaning against the Razorback was Vein Cutter, Nux's former friend. He glared Nux's way while wiping away drips from his bleeding nose every few seconds. Nux remembered now. Flay's thugs had burst into the garage and ordered for him to follow, but Nux had resisted. In the scuffle he caught Vein in the face with his elbow before being knocked out himself.

Smirking at his doing, Nux used the wall to pull himself onto his knees. However, the sight next to him drained all strength from his limbs. Mere inches from Nux's feet was a sudden drop into black nothingness. He was kneeling on the ledge where the workshop opened to the yard below. Above his head, a rusty winch creaked in the slight breeze. Nux slid down against the wall, disoriented with vertigo, and quietly slipped back into unconsciousness just as he heard the crunch of approaching footsteps.

~o~

When Nux woke again, a tall, stocky form stood before him, silhouetted by the harsh headlight of a vehicle. "Coulda made this easier on yourself," a musical drawl echoed in the wide room. "Didn't hafta drag your sorry ass up here."

Flay stepped out of the light. Nux saw that his cheekbone was inflamed from their earlier scuffle, but otherwise he showed no sign of injury, to Nux's immense disappointment. The sharp light highlighted Flay's empty eye socket, creating a grotesque, skeletal appearance. A cold chill from the chasm's wind at Nux's back trailed up his spine.

Flay hopped up onto the hood of the nearest car, his Humvee, and kicked his heavy boots into the grill. "Now you're up from your nap, let's get to business, shall we? Here's my Razorback, as generously promised." He drew his fingers across the hood. "Hard to part with her, but a deals a deal! So on that note, where's my girl?" he beamed, looking around. "Where's that little _firecracker_?"

Very slowly, Nux brushed dirt off his arms and strained to raise himself up onto his shaky feet. He finally stood, panting and hunched over. "Dunno," Nux croaked, trying not to betray the icy fear filling his throat. "Couldn't find her."

"Couldn't find 'er? Ha!" Flay slapped his knee and looked around at the crowd of War Boys, all eager to watch the events unfold. "Say brothers, how many lovely little redheads you see runnin' round this place?" A few smirked from their spots on the assorted vehicles, while others crowded at Flay's side. Seeing his past comrades here to witness his downfall with perverted fascination made Nux want to retch.

"Look, kid…" Flay hopped off the vehicle and sauntered over to Nux's hunched form. "…You've got a lotta nerve, you and that metal bitch. You're traitors to your brothers, your Immortan. Hell, you tore off his bloody face! Honestly, you deserve nothing less yourself." A few War Boys crossed their fingers in V8 salute. "Yet, in my good nature I'm willing giving ya a second chance. Not jus' a second chance, the _honor_ of my shine ride. So you can either try harder an' go get that whore of a wife…" Flay nodded to the door. "…or you can see where my generosity ends."

Nux quickly glanced over to the door, which was left unguarded, then around the claustrophobic cavern. Over two dozen pairs of eyes watched on, enraptured. There were a few grins and nods, but none said a word. Either they didn't want to, or didn't dare. Nux opened his mouth to speak, but he had forgotten to draw air into his lungs first. All Nux could muster was shaking his head _no_.

"What?" Flay stared at him, clearly surprised by that response. "Might wanna rethink your answer! If not, feel like flying today?" He gestured to the open workshop door. "Or would you prefer I shove your skull under the Razorback's wheel and fang it!" Flay laughed.

Nux froze at the sight of the mechanical beast growling beside him, but he remained resolute and shook his head again.

Flay frowned, betraying his growing annoyance. "Don't you forget we had a deal, mate. We shook! _"_

Nux cringed recalling the bastard's sweaty, firm grip in his own. He swallowed hard, then found his voice at last. "I said no. You can't have her."

Flay raised his eyebrows. "No? Was that a _no?_ Ha!" He turned to the crowd with arms raised. "In that case, what shall we do to convince him otherwise?"

With Flay's back to him, this was his chance. Seeing the gap in the crowd by the door, his mind screaming _Go! Go!,_ Nux flew towards the exit. He didn't get ten feet before a tangle of arms grabbed his upper body. Behind him Flay's sick, melodic laughter filled the room, and Nux's stomach sank to the earth.

Nux stopped resisting as unknown hands dragged and pushed him back towards Flay. Flay grasped Nux tightly by the back of the neck and half pulled, half pushed him towards the workshop door opening, where the last of the evening's rust-colored sky – _Capable's color_ – watched on . Nux stumbled forward until he was stopped dead at the ledge. Nux couldn't inhale, for his ribs had solidified at the sight of the empty blackness below. The wind sucked and tugged at his arms from the darkness, urging him to take one more step.

Just as Nux was able to breathe again, there came a sharp shove at his back. He began to fall and his arms flew up in defense, though little good they would do against the earth. However, his descent was stopped short by his thick belt. He hung there for a moment over the empty air, until he was yanked back and tossed to the safety of the cavern's floor.

The room exploded with the putrid sound of laughter. Nux tried to stand, but he immediately crumpled to the ground again. Flay stepped over him. "Easy, mate! We're just havin' a laugh!" he chortled. "You really thought we'd toss you out like a bag of rubbish? Who'd wanna clean up your nasty brains?"

As Nux drew fast, recovering breaths on the ground, Flay crouched down close with a cruel smirk on his lips. "Alright pup," he began, his voice calm but rumbling with an approaching sandstorm. "Now, gonna only say it _one_ last time, 'cause I'm feelin' kind today. _Go. Get. Her,_ " he hissed.

Nux slowly raised himself on his vibrating legs to meet his foe's unblinking glare. Standing made Nux's head drill thunder, but he wouldn't face Flay any other way. "Can't." Nux clenched his fists tight, sensing his heart beat in his ears. "She left the Citadel. She's gone."

"What?" Flay gaped, mouth falling slightly open. "Bollocks!"

Vein quietly slunk over to Flay, and whispered, "Boss, he might be onto somethin'. A convoy headed up north today. Heard a wife mighta been on it!"

"Thas right!" an ugly War Boy next to Vein added, "Saw Nux talkin' to her earlier by the rigs. He musta made her go!"

"What?" Flay gasped, and for the first time Nux saw not amused contempt in his face, but simmering anger. "That wasn't our deal!" Flay marched over and jabbed Nux hard in the chest. "That Sheila, she's mine!" "Everyone here witnessed. We shook!" he growled, and Nux recoiled from his humid, curdled breath. Flay shoved him harder. "So that's it? If you can't have her, none of us can?"

"Easy there, Flay!" Vein cut in. "Ace says they'll be back in a few weeks. She's all yours then. By that time this one will be well squashed!"

"No," Nux shook his head, standing straighter. "One way trip. She's not coming back…ever." He spoke the words with pride, but they still tasted of sickness.

Flay bared his teeth. "Oh, you better hope on your soft life that's not true."

Nux nodded. "It is. She's gone. Gone far away from _you_." With the last word his scarred lip raised up with a sneer.

"Argh!" Flay kicked an empty toolbox across the room, making Nux jump. "This wasn't suppose t' happen!"

"But there are loads of other wives here, boss!" Vein urged.

"Naw," Flay shook his head, "I need this one."

"Why?" Nux snarled. "Why _her_? She has nothing to do with us! She's suffered enough!"

"Just her," Flay growled, his voice growing with heat.

Nux's chest rose with anger. The War Boys shifted uncomfortably until Vein added, "Yeah, why?"

"So he can pay!" Flay snarled, storming forward. "Pay and suffer for what his whore and his lot did to Him. For damning the Citadel to ruins!"

Flay groaned aloud and began muttering under his breath in front of Nux, while the room fell silent save for the creak of the rusted winch. Nux looked back again to the door, but it was fully blocked by onlookers now. Flay's shoulders had become increasingly spasmic, and his face was flush to a feverish pink. Nux swallowed the urge to talk back, uncertain what the increasingly unhinged soldier would do next.

Flay stopped shifting, and pointed to a wide-chest War Boy and his friend, both who Nux knew well. "You two! Bring him here now!"

"But –" The wide-chested War Boy began to protest.

"I said now!"

The joy that had been reverberating throughout the room was instantly sucked out with the wind tugging at Nux's pant legs. Confused whispers filled his ears. A moment later Nux felt the prying, cruel hands of his past friends drag him forward under Flay's direction. "Stop it! Why the hell are you helping him?" Nux cried out, digging his boots into the earth. This did nothing to lessen their pull, but he still fought. When he finally glanced up, he found himself face to face with the sneering grill of the Razorback.

"Ooh, I'm gonna enjoy running you down!" Flay snarled and climbed into the cabin before signaling to the other Boys. Suddenly the Razorback's yellow eyes blinked awake and the engine came to life with a snarl.

Everything moved in slow motion. The War Boys dropped Nux on the ground in front of the vehicle, and pushed his bare, bruised chest into the dirt in front of the tire. "Wait, no, no!" Nux coughed dust and sputtered. "No, please!" he cried out to no avail. Men held his arms behind his back, and pressed his face into the oil-stained earth.

Nux couldn't even gather enough air to scream. Fear swelled up into a choking panic seeing the tire so near his head. This wasn't how he was supposed to go, being crushed hard with cracking bones! He was supposed to die soft with Capable, years and years from now with families and a history written on their skin.

 _Sky! Look to_ _the rusted sky_ _!_ he yelled inside his head, desperate to fill his last memories with her color. He managed to turn his head towards the open workshop door, but no red sky remained, only starless black. Not like this... He heard the sound of engaging gears… _NO!_

The car lurched forward, and Nux inhaled sharply and shut his eyes tight. However Nux felt himself dragged back from the vehicle's path just as the massive wheel crossed inches from his face. The Razorback jerked to a stop.

All hands released him, but Nux remained on the ground, shaking.

"Why'd the hell you move him!" Flay cried out from the truck's cabin. "That's not what I said!"

"You promised we were just gonna scare him!" A younger one standing by Nux's shoulder protested. "Not kill him!" A murmur of agreement rose all around them.

Flay hopped out of the vehicle and shoved the young War Boy to the ground. He began pacing between the discontent group of War Boys and Nux. Finally Flay stopped moving, and slowly reached to the back of his belt. After a small click, Flay withdrew a combat knife. A slow, putrid smile grew from one cheek to the other. "Oh, I'm gonna enjoy gutting you."

"Whoa Flay, whatcha doing?" One stout War Boy piped, his wide eyes glued to the weapon. "You said we'd just let him go, and –"

"Shut it!" Flay snarled back, then pointed the blade at Nux. "This ain't done. Not by far!" His voice lowering to the rumbling shudder of an engine. He stepped closer, and Nux could feel the heat of his breath. "This traitor had 'is chance. Had loads of chances!" The white of his eye caught lamp light. "This is _justice_. For Immortan, for all of you lot!"

Flay gripped the weapon tight in whitened knuckles, and stepped towards Nux. Nux reflexively stumbled backwards, but there was nowhere to go but down the mountain to his death.

"C'mon, gut him Flay!" Vein cheered.

Nux's struggled to swallow. As much as he tried to meet Flay's glare, he couldn't take his eyes off the familiar knife. A seven inch combat blade, one Nux had scavenged from the Vault himself and kept in his dresser. The workshop had grown more sparse, as fewer wanted to bear witness. Of those few dozen remaining, hushed whispers passed through the group.

 _"_ _He's bloody lost it!"_

 _"_ _That knife! What's he gonna do with that?"_

Flay pushed forward, forcing Nux to take a step back towards the opening. Nux glared at each of the other War Boys. "What's wrong with you all? Are you just gonna let him do this? What happened to being my brothers!" he shouted. Some swayed on their feet, while others looked down to the earth with pursed lips. None met his sharp gaze. "Bloody cowards."

The wind kept pulling at Nux's form, while Flay stared into him, his one eye ravenous. This was it. Nux was cornered, his fate sealed, but at least Flay would never get what he wanted...Capable was safe as she could be.

With this realization, a small sense of relief bloomed somewhere deep and spread throughout him. Nux's racing pulse calmed to slow, steady waves. Flay could plunge the knife, push Nux into the chasm, run him through, but _Flay could not hurt him where it mattered._

Nux exhaled a long breath. Flay couldn't hurt him, but his body and spirit were already worn down and tired. He suddenly felt ageless, old as the canyon stone with its gnashing teeth and history. Standing in this mountain as old as time itself, what did this quarrel, or the full-life of lonely War Boy, matter really?

Finding a strange form of comfort in his insignificance, Nux looked up and met Flay's eye fully for the first time. The smallest smile crossed Nux's lips. "C'mon Flay, you really wanna kill me?"

Flay studied him, a hint of surprise emerging amid fury in the lines of his face. "Don't test me, Boy. Else I'll skin you niiiice and slow, jus' like the War Boy who took this." Flay pressed the knife edge onto his cheekbone near his eye socket.

"Hm, that's not what I heard," Nux goaded and stood taller, fueled by something new inside him. "Plus if you kill me, you're pretty much dead and buried. You really think Furiosa will let you live if I'm killed? After she ranked me her Ambassador?"

Flay paused, clearly having not thought of this, then huffed, "like that bitch would know."

"Oh, she'd hear about your treason. She can hear everything, any time. You know that radio tower?" Nux nodded outside. "Bet you don't know they send words in the air in waves. Even right now, listening as we speak," Nux lied.

Flay stared at him, frozen. The anger consuming his gaze was suddenly mixed with uncertainty. Flay's face darkened, and he sneered back. "If it'll avenge Immortan for what you bastards did, I'll cut you all down!"

"You'd really _die_ for him? For cross sake, are you _that_ thick?" Nux laughed, "How can you still believe in that schlanger?"

"Is that how you speak a' your god?" Flay sneered and spat on the ground.

"God? He was no god!" Nux snapped. "He was just another psychopath who happened to kill his way to top. Hell, you saw his carcass! Gods don't _die_ _!"_

Nux turned his attention to the crowding War Boys. "So is this what you wanted? Having a good show?" A few of the Boys shrunk at his words, hunching their shoulders and pulling their arms protectively against their chests. Those who met his gaze looked to the ground. Nux shook his head and turned back to Flay.

Nux strode forward, and Flay instinctively raised the large blade in defense. "Well? If you're gonna do it, what are you waiting for! Kill me!" Nux shoved Flay's broad shoulder. He could feel Flay's sour breath on his face, sensed his hovering hesitation, and Nux almost craved the sting of the blade. Anything to put an end to this exhaustion and heartbreak.

"Do it," he seethed. Yet Flay did not budge.

"Didn't think so, pup," Nux snarled and shoved right through him, shoulder hitting shoulder. He anticipated the sting of cool metal plunging into his back, but he didn't care. It wouldn't ache half as much as how he was feeling now. Nux stormed his way toward the exit as the other War Boys parted a path, staring in awe.

Suddenly, a desperate, feminine voice cut through the air. "Nux! Look out!"

 _It couldn't be…_ Nux spun towards the sound of the voice, just in time to see a flash of metal. Nux jumped back and threw his arm up in defense. Hot wet fire caught him in the left arm, but this motion blocked the blade from burrowing into his neck. Flay snarled in frustration and before Nux could move, launched fully into him. They both rolled towards the workshop ledge while Nux struggled to keep Flay from pressing the knife into his heart. In the struggle Flay sliced Nux's right shoulder, and soon hot iron began pooling into the cup of Nux's collarbone.

"Flay, that's enough!" Some War Boy cried out as he tried to unsuccessfully pull him away.

"Retching coward attacked with his back turned!"

Nux caught a fist to the eye, but escaped Flay's grasp and hopped to his feet. However, Flay followed suit, and with his eyes full of hate, charged again. Flay made to pin him into the wall by his throat, inches from the open workshop air. However, Flay threw off their balance and they both tumbled over the ledge. He caught himself on the wall frame just in time, while a feminine voice screamed, "Nux!"

Gasping, Nux gripped onto the metal frame and scraped his boots against the mountain wall. Based on the groaning beside him, Flay was likely doing the same.

Vein appeared above them and quickly helped Flay up onto the landing, and then turned to Nux to deliver a final kick. However some loose granite gave way under Vein's boots and he lost his footing. Nux shut his eyes as Vein silently tumbled over him into the blackness, followed a moment later by a resonating _thump._

Nux's sweaty palms grasped the metal frame and granite wall with all his life. A pin in his leg had caught onto a protruding rock, helping to support his tired weight. However, Nux's aching arms quickly began to slip. He cried out in panic as he nearly lost hold, just when small hands grasped his forearms, halting his fall. Another set of hands quickly followed, and another, until he felt himself yanked up over the edge and draped across the granite floor on his chest. Once he stopped panting for air, he glanced up at these figures, only for his limbs to go completely numb at the sight. He was met by the solemn faces of two fellow War Boys, but dead in the center was a small kneeling figure with eyes the color of whispering leaves, a beautiful face framed by rusted locks…

 _This couldn't be…She couldn't be…_

Before Nux could register what he was seeing, a blur rushed from the corner of his vision and tackled the kneeling woman. Nux scrambled up to his feet, and almost collapsed off the ledge in shock. Flay had her. _He had her!_ Flay kneeled on the floor with his one thick arm against her chest, while the other pressed the long blade to her throat.

The room was silent save for the winch chain swinging heavy, squealing metal.

Capable's chest expanded in rushed breaths as the frenzied man clung to her desperately like a doll. She scratched at her neck where his fist pressed into her windpipe. Capable fought to get her fingers between the knife and her neck, and the blade was soon smeared with red.

Nux slowly stood up with his hands raised. For a flickering moment he locked eyes with Capable, and felt elation flooding to see her wonderful face again, followed by plummeting terror. He wanted to scream, cry, shout all at once, but he willed himself to stay calm if he wanted to keep her safe.

"Throw yourself off that ledge, or I'm gonna cut her open, throat to womb." Flay growled at a simmer.

" _Drop her now_!" A familiar voice suddenly thundered. Nux eyes darted to the door, where Furiosa stood with her guards, weapons raised.

Flay's eyes widened nervously, but instead he just strengthened his hold on Capable. "Fine shoot me!" Flay swung around to them, using Capable as a shield. "But those Boy's there can't fire for shit. Heard you're a right shot, but not this good. Wanna see it rain her brains? Go for it!"

"I've a better shot than you know, you _sonofabitch,"_ Furiosa seethed, pointing a gun in a shaking hand. Nux eyes darted back and forth between Furiosa and Flay. Nux knew she was a great shot, the best even, but seeing her feverish face and unsteady hands, Nux had a sinking realization she was not in the right state to shoot, let alone stand.

His stomach sank when she cocked the gun.

"Wait!" Nux cried out to Furiosa, hand raised. "Furiosa, just hold on!" He stepped between Flay and the guns. He opened his mouth to speak, but his vocal chords were frayed from the terror frosting his lungs. "Flay," he spoke in fractured pieces, then cleared his throat. "Flay, c'mon, that's enough. This isn't her battle. Just let her go."

The room waited and watched. Capable's arm, which had been cut in the scuffle, was now pouring out red. She held it to her chest as her arm soaked her shirt crimson.

Flay scowled and shook his head, standing up slowly while pulling Capable with him. He pulled her head back to expose her neck. "Naw, don't think so." Flay pressed the knife closer to her jawbone. Capable let out a muffled cry as the blade opened up her cheek. "We had a deal!" Flay snarled.

"There was never a deal!" Nux cried, horrified at the sight before him. "She was never yours, or mine, or anyone's! She's not something you can barter!" He swallowed with his blistering throat.

Nux caught Flay's eye, and he nearly stumbled by what he saw. A glare simmering with anger, and something else…fear. Here was a War Boy whose world had been thrown upside down, who witnessed his own god murdered. Nux inhaled sharply. He knew that sensation of being alone in the universe. He remembered that desire for revenge, the satisfaction in trying to strangle the life out of the ones who stole his only purpose from him.

He stood to his full height through the pain.

At that moment Furiosa groaned aloud and adjusted her stance, pulling Nux from his thoughts. "That's enough. Nux, out of the way!"

"Jus' hold a minute!" Nux cried out. He turned to face Flay, trying not to look at Capable's writhing, bleeding form or else he might just crumble right there. "C'mon, we Boys sort our own rows. She isn't part of this," Nux spoke calmly. "Let's just fight this out, you and me."

"She's a traitor, just like you! You're all part of this!" Flay seethed on his swaying legs.

"Flay, look around at your witnesses. Imperator Furiosa, for cross sake! You're making yourself the traitor. And you _know_ what we do with traitors!"

Flay looked down at his hostage. His face was now flush with real fear. "Throw yourself out, or she's losing her throat!" Flay cried, and readjusting the blade.

"Flay, you're surrounded. It's over. And if you hurt her anymore, you're dead," Nux muttered. "They will feed you to the Buzzards or bury you in the earth. You will never be witnessed. You will never see Valhalla."

There was a brief shudder in Flay's arms, but then he shook it off. "Still better than what Immortan got!" Flay sneered. "He'll ride from Valhalla itself to witness me! I am awaited!"

"Why are you doing this for him?" Nux lowered his voice. "Why, after what he did to you?"

Flay's eye widened, then his shook his head and glared.

"No one here knows, do they?" Nux took a bold step forward, as if treading on glass. "That eye of yours. Said you lost it in a fight." Flay didn't respond as Capable struggled against the blade. "That's not true, is it?" The room had fallen silent again.

"Shut it! You know none of it!"

"But I do." Nux nodded. Oh, how he could enjoy toying with him! Seeing Capable fighting, he wanted nothing more than for Flay to hurt like she did. "This Wretched girl with a half ear that I…knew." Nux's eyes darted briefly to Capable. "She had this mate, this raven-haired girl, who was involved with some War Boy." Nux shifted on his feet and studied Flay's expression, but his face was a stone. "One day my friend came to me crying – inconsolable – because Immortan had spotted her pretty friend at a rally and fancied her too." Nux kept his eyes on Flay's face, and something flickered.

Nux continued: "She was one those Wretcheds not good enough for a wife, but good for the night, y'know?" The remaining War Boys around stood in paralysis, listening. "My friend told me later how Joe tried to take the girl up to his chambers, and that War Boy had the nerve to try to stop him." A few stunned murmurs escaped the spectators. "Pretty treasonous, wouldn't you say?"

"Shut it!" Flay snapped, but Nux ignored him.

Nux shrugged. "Heard the girl got traded to Gas Town and as punishment, the poor sod got something cut out of him by Immortan Joe himself. Some said it was an ear, or a finger…or an eye."

Nux sneered at Flay until he saw his clouded, almost drunken gaze. It struck hard in the chest and Nux inhaled sharply. That expression was unsettlingly familiar. Before him he saw a pup cowering on the floor of a turret, ready to bite, completely lost without the master. A dog yearning for the stroke of the very hand that beat it.

Nux continued, softening his tone. "I know you need to believe in Immortan, because if you don't it's like you lost your eye and _her_ for nothing." He chewed his bottom lip, looking straight at Flay. "But punishing us will not make what he did right."

Flay said nothing else, just stood frozen and lost in thought, as if oblivious to Capable's struggling form against him. Flay refused to show any acknowledgement for some time, just a dead expression, so Nux threw his arm towards Capable. "Flay, Joe took more than just a night from her. He stole eight years! Whatever he did to you, to that girl, he did that to the wives twenty times over!"

Capable had managed to get her fingers between the knife handle and her neck, keeping the blade a safer distance. "Immortan awaits me," Flay muttered, uncertain.

"Who, the man who personally cut out your _eye? Cross, w_ ake up! Most everyone else here gets it! Everyone finally eats a full meal! Your brothers get the chance of a _full life_!" Nux cried. "You know what a full life means? It means time, with rigs! With people like _her_!" He gestured at Capable angrily. "With Imperator as your witness, if you hurt her you'll never touch an engine again. Or a piece of bread, or a woman. Your body will never see the sky. Nothing!"

Capable slowly shifted her hands as a droplets of red trailed down her cheek and neck. Nux saw that her one free hand was trying to reach her boot. Nux knew what she had hidden there, and his heart seized. If she tried to retaliate and shoot him, Flay's knife would most definitely be faster.

Flay just stood staring with a half open eye, his body shivering and gaze a world away.

"Urgh!" Nux snarled in frustration and stared at Capable's crimson cheek. "For cross sake, look at her!" Nux yelled, pointing. "Look at her cheek, her hands!" he frowned. "All that blood. You're hurting her. Godammit, _look_!"

Flay looked at Capable, then down to the earth. He was trembling, but his hold on Capable didn't waver. "What the bloody point? I'm dead and buried already in front of this full metal bitch." Flay gestured at Furiosa, fear splintering his normally jovial voice.

Nux turned around and looked over to his Imperator. "Furiosa, if Flay just puts down the knife, he won't get shot, yeah? I'm sure we can forget a lot of this," he pleaded. "And if he has to stand judgement, we won't have him buried underground, right?" Nux studied his Imperator.

After an agonizing moment, Furiosa nodded.

Whether from his draining strength or his submission, Capable emerged from Flay's grip and leapt forward. She ran into Furiosa, panting, with blood pouring down her face and arms.

Furiosa's guards immediately moved to flank Flay on each side, their weapons aimed, while War Boys formed a crescent surrounding him. The only exit was the open abyss behind him. "Flay, it's over."

Flay stood alone with his knife, and to Nux's horror, lifted it to his own throat. Nux sensed the air suck from his windpipe, and he saw something from his own recent memory.

 _A pup sobbing to himself in the back of a turret, praying for an undeserved, glorious death._

 _Standing at the edge of the earth after learning of his Full-Life, tempted to take one more step into oblivion._

Nux inched closer. "Please, it doesn't have to end like this. Didn't believe it at first, but there's so much more to life than death. It's a shine new world now, but you'll only see that if you stop trying to fight it!"

"I am awaited," Flay whimpered and his head fell forward. Flay's chest expanded in exaggerated bursts. Tears appeared in the corner of his good eye. "If Immortan –"

"That world's over, Flay," Nux interrupted. "Just give this one a try. There's so many good things, I promise. There's whisky, and oceans…and pennies," he urged, but Flay still held the blade.

Nux then approached within a foot of Flay, and with utmost caution, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Brother," Nux pleaded, "C'mon, that's not dying hard, that's just dying. It's a better world now. It's…different, difficult yeah, but you don't hafta ride through it alone."

Nux kept his hand on the trembling shoulder, anticipating the hot bite of the knife in his stomach. Instead, the hushed room echoed with a clink of the blade falling to the granite floor. In an instant, War Boys and Furiosa's guards rushed forward and restrained Flay by each arm. However, he didn't fight back, just swayed in their grasp with his head lowered.

Another few War Boys rushed up to Nux's weak form and supported him up. Nux's chest was streaked red, while his eyelid was purple and beginning to swell shut. One gave him a cloth to press into his bloody shoulder. "Y'alright, brother?"

"We didn't think…we just – "

"We can grab a medic, if you want."

"So sorry, mate. Didn't realize he was so kami-crazy."

Nux didn't answer, just shrugged away their comforting hands. They offered guilt-stricken apologies, camaraderie, yet it was a distant drone in his ears. He pushed through the crowd of curious Boys until he saw her.

Capable was leaning into Furiosa, filthy with red sand from her journey and her blouse covered in blood. "Let's get you down to the medical wing," Furiosa sighed softly as she pressed a rag into her cheek, but Capable didn't seem to hear. Her eyes widened and locked on Nux as he approached.

"Nux, I – "

After less than a heartbeat, he stumbled forward to wrap his arms around her and lift her off the ground in a tight embrace. Nux pressed his brow into her shoulder, savoring her warmth against his chest. Eventually he set her down, but she didn't let go of him. "I thought you had..." he croaked, but he wasn't able to find the rest of the words. "You…you left. For good."

He looked at the ground, blinking repeatedly to rid this moisture away. Eventually he stepped back, but Capable reached up to place her hand on his cheek, ignoring the smear of blood on her own palm. "Nux, I'm so sor–"

Nux shook his head, and gave a gentle smile. "S'okay. You're here now." The shock and pain had already begun to ebb away, and Nux succumbed to the lovely new warmth spreading through his body. It was a new sensation: one of hope and future promises pouring back into his spirit in a welcoming swell.

Nux opened his mouth, but before he could speak she met his lips with her own and pulled him close again. The room began to slowly clear of figures, and the moon finally made its appearance through a gap in the clouds, but they didn't notice. The two stood together, holding each other tight, neither quite ready to let go.


	19. Chapter 19

**This is my second last chapter, which will be followed by a shorter epilogue. Hard to believe it! As always, thank you for reading along, your comments have been so encouraging!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER NINETEEN: Capable.**

Once Flay was shuttled off to custody by Furiosa and her guards, Capable and Nux stumbled up to the medical bay. Nux could barely walk from exhaustion and his fresh injuries, so Capable supported him on one side.

The moon was shining bright through the window opening by the time the two entered the treatment room. They hobbled past rows of beds, where dark figures shifted and mumbled in their pained sleep. The two found a spot in the sterile room on the last cot, next to the one that had been Nux's home for nearly two months. Capable helped herself to some supplies and immediately began seeing to their wounds.

Once Nux was patched up, Capable sat on a low stool and guided Nux in redressing the knife wounds to her hands. He stared intently with his one eye swollen shut, delicately wiping away the stubborn dirt and blood that water alone couldn't remove.

"Good. That should be clean," she cooed, "now pour the alcohol."

Nux obliged, and Capable sucked air in through her teeth as cold fire filled in palms. Afterwards he grabbed the bandages. "Yeah. Then wrap over, then under. Perfect," Capable chimed and stood up. "All done!"

"What about your cheek?" Nux asked, setting aside the kit but still holding a hand.

"This bandage is fine for now. I'll need stitches, but it's probably best if I do that myself."

"It might scar," Nux warned.

Capable shrugged with a sideways smirk. "Guess we'll match then."

Capable made to leave, but was met by resistance at her freshly bandaged hand. "Nux, it's okay! You can let go. I need that hand."

"Right." Nux released it, blushing.

"I'm not going anywhere," she teased, but he suddenly grew sullen. "What?"

"But….aren't you still gonna find your brother?" Nux mumbled.

"I…" she stared at him, her jaw falling open. "So you _did_ hear Max and I talking!" she gasped and dropped down next to Nux. "Here you thought you sent me away forever…Oh gods, hon!" Capable wrapped her arms around his stiff shoulders. "How awful, I'm so sorry," she muttered into his neck, and slowly Nux relaxed into her hold.

"Why didn't you say anything to me?" she whispered, parting from him.

Nux played with the sleeve of her shirt. "Wanted you to be safe, and you to find your family…so you wouldn't feel alone here."

Capable shook her head. "Nux, I don't feel alone. Not anymore, anyway." She smiled and squeezed his hand, ignoring the pain. "C'mon, it's been an absolute hell of a day and it's nearly midnight. I'm too knackered to go up to our room tonight, let's just rest here."

Capable walked over to his old cot and Nux dragged his heavy body behind her, when Furiosa entered the room supported by her two guards.

After they helped her to her bed, Furiosa sat for a minute with her chest rising in sharp bursts, catching her breath. Eventually she gave Capable a nod of acknowledgement and began to unstrap her arm. "Flay's being processed in the barracks. He's under martyr watch for now."

"What gonna happen to him?" Nux asked.

"Exactly what he deserves," Furiosa stated matter-of-factly as she removed her arm. "He's no loss to us."

Nux looked at her, wide-eyed. "You don't mean…kill him?" Furiosa nodded, so Nux jumped up. "But you said –"

"I said what I had to in order to get him to let Capable go," Furiosa replied curtly.

"Good," Capable muttered to the ground, while Nux shook his head in apparent disgust. She could still feel Flay's humid breath on her neck and that sweaty arm pressing hard into her chest. She knew what Flay had wanted her for. He repulsed her. However, he stirred another uncomfortable sensation within her…pity. "Good, I guess." Capable added.

"Really, Capable? He was after _you!_ " Furiosa balked, coming to stand next to Nux's cot. "You really want that monster alive? He deserves an eye for an eye, nothing less."

"But wasn't that what Joe did with him?" Capable sat up straight. "And that's probably _why_ Flay acted out."

"Vein died for what he did to me tonight, but even he didn't deserve it," Nux muttered. "He was a good bloke and I know if we'd given him a chance, he..." Nux stopped short, his voice having caught in his throat at the mention of his late friend.

Capable placed a gentle hand on Nux's shoulder, then continued. "I guess it's just harder being angry at Flay knowing he's a victim of Joe's too. He just seemed…sick."

"Sad," Nux added.

All three fell silent, stewing over these thoughts. Finally, Furiosa sighed. "Fine, I'll think about it. But if he tries anything, and I mean _anything,"_ she asserted, looked hard at Capable, "then off to the Buzzards."

"I'd like to see him try," Capable laughed. "I'm an honorary War Boy now."

"What?" Furiosa asked.

"Oh, I threw up out of a moving truck."

Furiosa looked over to Nux, perplexed, who nodded sincerely in turn. "That counts."

Capable laughed, then left her companions to wash up in the joining bathroom. As she splashed cool water on her face, Furiosa's voice spilled through the crack in the door. Capable turned to watch them.

"So you really think he deserves a second chance?" Furiosa asked Nux.

Nux shrugged. "Not sure. Probably not, but then again, I didn't deserve a second chance either. But you still gave me one."

Furiosa's shoulders relaxed. "Alright." She began making her way back to her own cot, but then turned to face him. "Nux…What happened tonight, with that War Boy…That could have ended really badly if you hadn't done what you did." She gave him a rare smile, her first in a long time. "I won't forget that."

Nux nodded, and Capable saw his skin flush red. She couldn't help but smile herself.

After carefully changing the blood-soaked bandages and washing the last of the red dust off of her arms, Capable dragged her sore body over to Nux, who had already passed out. She lay down on the familiar cot, savoring the warmth of his form, which she never thought she'd feel again. Furiosa lay fast asleep nearby, her prosthetic arm hanging on the bedframe, looking peaceful for the first time in a long time.

Capable's eyelids began to grow heavy from the soft beeps of the medical machines when she was stirred by chattering voices in the doorway. A group of nurse aids had just entered to check on Furiosa, trailed by a sullen woman with reddened eyes. On spotting Capable, she froze.

"Cape?" Toast gasped. "What? But…I saw you leave!"

Capable jumped out of bed, "Toast, I'm –"

Before she could finish, Toast shoved through the nurse aids and wrapped Capable up in a huge embrace. Toast's shoulders shook with pained breaths. "Max said you weren't coming back," she sobbed into Capable's shoulders.

"It's okay. I'm so sorry. I'm here now," Capable whimpered, holding her friend as tight as she could. "I'm home."

~o~

High westerly winds carried moist air from the distant sea to the Wasteland, which appeared overhead as rolling grey clouds. The rare humidity added new creases to the toiling faces of Wretcheds and War Boys alike. Fortunately, the cool breezes in the agricultural terraces offered some relief from the thick heat. In the two weeks since the confrontation with Flay, Capable spend the most unbearable hours of the day here while her wounds healed.

Beads of sweat clung to her forehead as she lay next to Toast in the shade of an old water tank, watching the sun begin its descent. Toast was snoring slightly, but Capable was finding it hard to doze from her hot clothes sticking to her skin.

Capable let her eyes wander, and was surprised to see a familiar War Boy sitting hunched beneath a cherry tree. _How long had he been there?_ Capable hopped up and made her way over to him.

"Hey!" Capable plunked down beside him, absently scratching her itchy cheek. It still bore a long red gash, but at least it was stitched up and no longer enflamed.

"Hi," Nux mumbled. Nux's body was still patchy with bruises and stitches, but his skin gave a healthy glow.

"You alright?" she asked.

Nux pursed his lips. "Was just down in the barracks. Flay got sentenced."

Capable frowned, and Nux continued: "He got hard labour in the furnace room with the Wretcheds. Banned from war paint. His Razorback's been sent to scrap."

Capable shifted closer. "That's good, right? No execution, a chance to redeem himself. I thought that's what we wanted."

Nux exhaled and looked up. She noted that his eyes were slightly red. "Dunno. Thought I would, but the whole situation – him and Vein doing all that – it was just so _pointless_. Just don't think there's anyway to feel good about it." He rubbed his eyes with his palm.

Capable took his hand in her bandaged one. Her chest ached to see him so raw.

After a moment in silence, Nux reciprocated with a squeeze. "I'll be 'right."

Capable smiled. "I know you will. But if it helps, Cheedo's coming up tonight with some leftover meals and some sweets."

Nux perked up. "Yeah?"

"She says there'll be enough so we don't have to go down for rations." Capable smiled. "It's just as well, it's an oven down there now!"

Nux didn't react, so Capable leaned into him playfully. "C'mon…" she teased, nearly pushing him off the rock. Finally Nux's stoic expression cracked, and he returned the favour by lifting her up and pulling her over to him.

Capable shrieked in laughter. In their tussle, Nux's hand grazed the inside of her thigh. Capable froze, enjoying the sudden rush of warmth through her face. Nux immediately drew his hand away. "Sorry," he stuttered.

Before she could reassure him, a commotion sounded near the door. Nux and Capable stared blankly at the two women carrying a heavy wooden table from below.

"It's too hot for this!" Cheedo groaned.

"Suck it up, will ya? Just a few more steps!" The Dag huffed from the other end.

"What the heck are you doing?" Capable gaped, "Dag, you're gonna drop a baby if you're not careful!"

Nux rushed over to take The Dag's place, and helped Cheedo carry the table the rest of the way into the ceremonial building. Capable followed them up the steps.

At that moment Toast appeared next to her, rubbing her eyes. "What's happening?"

"The Dag is trying to induce labor," Capable scowled, while The Dag rolled her eyes.

Cheedo massaged her sore hands. "It was getting so cramped with it in kitchen, so I figured we'd get better use of it here." She drew her fingers across the chestnut table. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Too bad we couldn't have had it for Furiosa's evening. I mean, if that had happened."

The group stood admiring the woodwork, when Capable was nearly knocked over by a thought. "Wait. Why can't it still?" Everyone looked at her, curious. "Furiosa's doing better. We're all here, Cheedo has that food coming, and the place hasn't fallen completely apart. We could do it tonight!"

The group stood in hesitation, until Cheedo spoke up first. "I could throw something special together on top of it."

The Dag grinned, "Hell, why not."

The only one looking skeptical was Toast. "Today? Have you seen this place?" She pointed around the building. "The roof's been torn up again, plus all the sand is back since we cleaned. It would be a lot of work in this heat, and you two are still recovering." Toast looked to Nux. "You sure you're up for that?"

Nux threw an approving glance at Capable, then nodded with a grin. "Definitely."

~o~

The sun had dipped behind the Western butte by the time Capable returned from her room with a heavy wooden box. Sweat clung stubbornly to her skin, but fortunately the overcast clouds offered relief from the evening's heat. The ceremonial building was a bustle of activity as the ex-wives and Nux finished with last minute preparations to make up for that lost evening for Furiosa.

The Dag was sweeping out the last of sand when Nux climbed off the roof, having just finished with repairing the windswept tiles. Capable was happy to see him moving around with the same ease as before the incident with Flay, seemingly unperturbed by his leg brace.

As she watched her companions busy at work, Toast caught up to her. "Max is on his way!"

The two walked together past the tides of green and talked excitedly about the evening. As they ascended the steps to the main landing, Capable caught her breath. Every pillar and frame was adorned with strands of multi-colored lights, the very ones that she had laboriously dug out of the junk lot weeks earlier to Toast's chagrin. Capable marveled at how the reds, blues and greens seemed to warm the marble underfoot. Toast reached up to stroke the blue-tinted air, like a moth drawn to flame, her skin cast in an aurora-like glow.

Cheedo walked past them carrying yet another dish of food and placed it on the long rug in the center of the room. The diversity of food was surreal, a rare luxury in a world where the only reward seemed to be survival.

Toast followed Capable as she placed down the wooden box on Cheedo's table. "Think she'll make it this time?"

"Furiosa's getting better now. She will," Capable smiled, then began rearranging curiosities on the table. When she lifted a cracked glass vase, A small object fell out of the base with a _clink_ and rolled across the marble floor to Nux's feet. He picked up the tiny metal disk to inspect it.

"What is it?" Capable asked.

"Dunno," he muttered, transfixed by the copper coin.

Just as Capable was about to hazard a guess, Nux's attention shifted. "Oy! Look."

Capable turned to see two hunched figures slowly approach the building. With utmost care, Max led Furiosa up the steps, her body clearly still raw from the surgery. On reaching the main landing, Furiosa's eyes darted in wonder around the decorated open space, taking in the colorful lights and the endless bowls of food. "What's all this about?"

"We…meant to hold it before your accident," Toast stuttered. "Just a token of thanks."

For a brief moment, Furiosa, the woman made of steel, appeared to crumble. The blood drained from her face, and for a terrifying second it seemed she might collapse again. Capable watched, holding her breath, when a thought crossed her mind. _Had she ever seen Furiosa shed a tear_?

Furiosa quickly regained her composure and nodded at the others with a delicate smile, clearly touched.

~o~

The small group sat around the intricate rug embroidered with images of ancient cities and strange animals with too-long legs. Furiosa sat down at the end, and Capable found a spot next to her, tucking her dress under her knees.

Bowls of food were spread out in front of them, and Cheedo fussed about making sure everyone had enough. However, once served, no one dared touch the food. They simply stared.

"Holy cross." Capable gaped at the baked bread, stews, greens, and other real food. "But how…?"

Cheedo blushed. "I've been itching to try new recipes since that night fell through. Plus I have _loads_ of those canned army rations that need to be used up."

Max dropped down beside Capable and helped himself to some stew, holding the bowl close to his chest protectively. "Hear you're getting fond of late night drives."

Capable's face grew hot. Of course Furiosa would tell him about that. "Guess so."

"What happened to seeing your old town?"

"Things changed. This is where I need to be now," Capable smiled sadly. "What about you? Think you'll stick around too?"

Max didn't respond, but gave her a side smirk before starting on his food. However, after a minute, he added in a low voice for only her to hear, "glad to see you back."

Capable blushed, then dug into her own bowl. The food was surreal, unlike anything Capable had ever tried. Spices and smoky meats, stewed green vegetables, and savory potatoes that melted on the tongue. Roasted skinks crispy and flavorful from hints of fresh chili pepper. Insect-meal fry cakes as crunchy and delicious as those hazy memories from her farm.

"I haven't had reptile this good since my parents were alive," Capable grinned.

"Here's squab," Cheedo pushed a dish over. "It's even better."

Capable looked at it curiously. "What's squab?"

"Pigeon."

Nux started coughing mid bite, evidently recalling Capable's pet.

Wrinkling her nose, Capable pushed the dish away. "No thanks. I'll stick with the lizard."

Capable stuffed herself until she was certain she would never want to eat again, a sensation that she didn't know was possible. Cheedo beamed at the satiated faces, and Capable took in this shy, raven-haired girl known as _The Fragile_. Really she was anything but. Capable had clearly underestimated her, and by the looks on her other sisters' faces, it appeared they had as well.

A few minutes later The Dag headed to the back room and returned with two dusty bottles. "Found them earlier stowed in a trunk! Some War Boy's probably crying tonight."

"Oh no…not that again!" Capable groaned, the memory of their recent indiscretion still raw in her stomach.

"That's no moonshine. Look!" Toast gasped, taking an intricate bottle from The Dag. She cradling it as if holding something precious. "Still sealed. Wow. It must be over 50 years old!"

"Old is good, right?" Nux muttered under his breath to Capable, who nodded and suppressed a smirk.

Capable was skeptical that it would be different from Joe's putrid whisky, but the moment the crimson liquid touched her lips, she was sold. It tasted of lost fruits and a hint of warm soil, with a velvety flavor that lingered on her taste buds for not nearly enough time.

Once everyone had filled up on the dinner and drinks, Cheedo took off to the kitchens and returned some time later with a tarnished silver platter that she placed in center of the rug. All stared in awe at the lopsided Bundt cake with a strange icing coating. Even Nux raised his brow.

"Cheedo! That's _Chrome_!" Toast gasped.

"Impressive, but gross!" The Dag balked, poking a finger into the round structure.

"No, it's okay!" Cheedo pleaded. "We don't exactly have food color, so I had to improvise. It's not spray paint. You can eat this kind!"

"And inhale it too, apparently," Nux chirped to Capable, who gently elbowed him in a good rib.

~o~

After taking her last bite of the sweet, spongy dessert, Capable paused to take in the sight around her. This regal building was still marked by its past horrors of forced marriages. However, looking around at the bursts of laughter, and the happy hands sloshing ruby-colored liquid from tilted glasses, one would never know. Immortan Joe's brutal history seemed to be eroding away more and more each day.  
Capable took in these strangers that had been pulled together by the world colliding into itself. Strange how this odd group – ex-sex slaves, a general, a recovering religious fanatic, and a mad man – seemed to fill something she lost so long ago. Capable recalled Nux's words by the fire: _Family is all the parts running together…that makes you feel like you belong so tightly in the machine that it wouldn't even run without you._

A warmth spread through Capable's skin and filled her with the contentment beyond being full. As she digested this lovely sensation, the chatter in the air was cut by Furiosa clearing her throat.

"I just want to thank you all…for doing this." Furiosa stated, absently tapping a metal finger against her wine glass. "I'm completely stunned, to be honest. I never thought we would take back the Citadel, let alone get this far. It's not me who deserves thanks. Really, it's because of all your hard word to fix this place that we can call it a home." Furiosa closed her eyes in humble appreciation.

In unison, everyone tilted a glass.

Furiosa sighed. "And I'm glad we're all together, since there's been something I've been hoping to tell you." She paused, and looked over to Max. "We've discussed it, and I think it's time I step down as Imperator."

"What? No!" Cheedo gasped.

The other women stared at Furiosa, jaws agape. Even Nux looked taken aback.

"I can't run a whole army and the Citadel at once, as I've been made aware of recently," Furiosa explained, glancing at Capable. "I tried to take on too much."

"But...what about the convoys?" Toast pleaded. "You're so great at kicking those men around!"

Furiosa shook her head. "We have plenty of good soldiers, and I can't climb around those vehicles like I used to. Stepping aside for now will allow me to focus on running the Citadel to make the transition from Joe easier. You saw what happened with Flay under my watch. I don't want anyone else falling through the cracks."

The group grew sullen. Capable squeezed her hands against her guilt-stricken stomach. She couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for this. However a rare chuckle from Furiosa drew her back.

"What's with you all? It's not like I died!" Furiosa teased. "Plus, I'll have a pretty good replacement," she smiled, and nodded over to Max.

Everyone spun to look at the quiet drifter, who gave a simple shrug as if to say, _"sounds about right."_

~o~

Once drinks returned and everyone's spirits lifted, Capable ran to the back of the room to fetch the wooden box that she had brought up for the occasion. As she placed it on Cheedo's table, the ex-wives squealed and ran over, while Max and Furiosa looked on with curiosity.

"Wow!" The Dag gasped, "Never thought I'd see that again!"

As the other women fussed over what record to choose first, Capable made her way to the large blue chaise lounge, but not before grabbing her 50 year old drink in one hand and Nux's arm in the other. Sitting with her legs propped up, Capable leaned her head on Nux's shoulder and stared up through a skylight, her head cloudy with the drink. A tangle of ivy had managed to sneak into a crack and snake its way along the glass. A sharp click and scratching cut the air, and soon Capable's thoughts were soaking in Motown. The music floated in wisps like the smoke from the nearby fire.

Toast and The Dag danced clumsily together with the music and alcohol. Cheedo sang along from the sidelines. A morose song took over, and even Max appeared touched by melody.

When brittle crackling marked the end of the record, Toast plopped down beside Capable, out of breath. "Think we could get Furiosa to dance?" she asked.

"Depends. How much alcohol is left?"

Both women laughed. That would be something to see. Maybe one of these days she could get Nux to dance. Or Max, gods forbid. Capable smiled. There would be many more nights for that.

~o~

For the next two hours the group lounged around, enjoying the inebriation from too much food and spirits. Capable lay in a wide hammock with Toast, swaying with the low hum of music that wafted out across the green. The Dag lay on the ornate run and was regaling them about her new sprouts, when Capable noticed Furiosa standing alone by the railing. Capable left the chatting women and took a place next to Furiosa, who was observing Nux and Max's interactions below.

"It has 18 gears. It's for mountains." Capable heard Nux beam, showing off his bike-cycle.

Max appeared amused. "Had one of those, when all roads were paved."

Capable listened on, tickled by Nux's fascination with a society that had the audacity to expect drivers to stay on the allotted paths ribboning across landscapes

Furiosa nodded down at the pair. "Your Boy's come a long way."

"Yeah," Capable smiled. "Hard to believe it after what he's been through. He's done amazing." She chuckled. "Hell, I swore he was dead when I found him that night."

Furiosa tapped her metal hand on the bannister, causing the rail to ring. After a pause, she sighed aloud. "You know, that night…if you really wanted to get him out of the canyon, you could have just _asked me_."

Capable gaped. After a moment she stuttered, "w _hat_?"

"If you had just come to me, we could have sent a team out for Nux and save you the trouble of the scavengers," Furiosa stated. Capable's jaw fell open, unable to form words, while Furiosa continued. "If you hadn't run off on your own, of course. I'm still racking my brains how you even made it back."

Capable stumbled over her words. "You…you seriously would have done that?"

"Of course!" Furiosa glanced across the landscape. "We owe a lot to that kid. We had the Citadel, so why not? I'm sure we could have spared some War Boys. It had crossed my mind, actually."

"Then why didn't you say anything? You saw me. I was absolutely miserable!"

Furiosa shrugged. "I guess I just didn't realize he meant so much to you." Her head lowered. "I just thought you would have trusted me enough to say something." Her voice shuddered with what sounded like pain.

Capable's mind reeled. All that _hurt_ – and that dark, consuming chasm that formed between her and Furiosa since then – was because of her rash decision to go alone. Capable exhaled. "So I angered you for nothing."

Furiosa's shook her head. "I was never angry. Frustrated, maybe." She took a deep breath. "I was scared."

Images of that night all came flooding back. Capable remembered her own terror in the medical bay as Nux floated between life and death, and that sucking emptiness when Furiosa stormed out in a fit of fury. At least Capable had thought it was fury. Perhaps it was the action of someone who felt deeply betrayed and hurt.

Capable's stomach knotted, but it still didn't make sense. "If you weren't angry, why did you make me clear out the Vault? You knew how much I hate domestic work. Why not ask one of the other girls?"

"I did. I asked The Dag too, and she broke down begging me not too."

"What?" Capable gaped. "She never told me that!"

Furiosa frowned. "After you four spent time in there sorting, she said she had nightmares about it for days. You seemed comfortable, so I didn't think it was an issue."

Capable squeezed the rail. "It was pretty rough. I hated it at first. I had panics, like in the tanker. I almost passed out."

"I didn't know that," Furiosa frowned. "I wouldn't have put you through that again if I'd heard. I'm sorry." She sighed. "But I knew you would be strong being back in there, and you _were._ " Furiosa placed her good hand on Capable's shoulder. "You found that old radio, and because of that, now we can help others, maybe even girls. I knew you have a way of seeing value in things that everyone else gives up as broken." Furiosa's eyes briefly darted to Nux.

Capable grew crimson and found it hard to find words. Finally she muttered, "wow, okay. So that rescue mission out West…That's really gonna to happen?"

"That's the plan. But if you want to join, don't just take off in the middle of the night after it. Ask me," Furiosa teased.

Capable laughed and shook her head. Then she turned to meet her friend's eyes. "Furiosa…again, about that night. I'm so sorry I put you through all that with my stupid stunt…"

"It was pretty stupid alright," Furiosa cut in, eying her sideways. "But you'd do it again…wouldn't you?" She nodded toward the muscular man below next to his ride.

Capable smiled and watched Nux. "In a heartbeat."

After a moment, Capable sighed. "I just hope he'll be alright. Those Boys who tormented him accused him of dying soft. Growing old."

"Well he is, isn't he?"

Capable thought for a moment. Nux's wounds were healing, the cancer was in remission, and the chance to grow old in this Wasteland, however unlikely, was now a possibility. It was something given to so few here, and regarded with derision. Not to her. The idea was glorious. It stirred millions of years imprinted in the very DNA that kept her, Max, Furiosa, and the others fighting to their very end to _live._

Capable grinned and leaned against Furiosa. "Yeah, I guess he is."

"Don't worry too much," Furiosa gently touched the back of Capable's shoulder, "It's not all soft ahead for him. Speaking of which, I –"

At that moment, Nux ran up to the top step, out of breath, followed by a lumbering Max. "Heya!" Nux beamed, "Max thinks he can attach a rifle to the bike. Might make it heavy, but it would give it a kick!"

"Just who I wanted to speak to." Furiosa gestured for Nux to follow her. His eyes immediately widened, making Capable smirk on seeing his obvious devotion to his superior.

Furiosa stood with him at the far end of the landing. "How're you feeling?" Capable heard her ask in a quiet tone.

"Still rusty with the new cuts, but my leg's good. Ruin says the pins come out in a month."

"Good to hear," Furiosa responded. "You've know I've been running on empty lately. That one made that clear to me." She nodded Capable's way. "I've got that rescue mission out west, and I had been planning to lead the convoy on the War Rig. However, after that shit with Flay, now I think it's better if my time is best spent here."

Nux rubbed his neck. "That's rough."

"Not ideal, no," Furiosa sighed, "but that means the War Rig needs a driver." She smirked at Nux.

Capable's hands jumped to her mouth and she hopped on her bare feet. "Holy cross, Nux!" she gasped, no longer hiding the fact that she had been listening.

Nux's skin grew a new shade of pale. "W–what?"

The other women, who had also been eavesdropping, rushed over. "Wow, congrats, Rev Head!" The Dag cheered and punched his bicep.

Nux half leaned, half fell back against the railing. Capable nearly had to catch him. "Wow. Just…don't know what to say." Nux took a deep breath. "Thank you Furiosa, that's glorious. I'm honored," he looked to the earth, "but...don't know if I can."

The rustling of leaves became the only sound as Furiosa and the others gawked at him.

"Nux! Are you _serious?_ This is the War Rig we're talking about!" Capable gasped, shaking his arm. "Are you mental? Holy cross, do it!"

Worry appeared in the corners of his eyes, and he looked down. "Just…just don't think I could rough it through that all again." The implication of Capable's sudden departure hung heavy. "Plus, it's gonna be weeks away, and…"

Capable bit her lip, and Furiosa took a step forward. "That's the thing. It's going to be a long trip with those stranded people, and they may be sick, dehydrated, and traumatized. That means we'll need to send along medics too." She raised her brows at Capable.

Capable's stomach flipped. Tangible sentences were lost to her, and all she could say was, "War Rig. A Medic."

After Capable's clumsy answer, Furiosa returned her attention to Nux. "Well?"

Nux couldn't seem to move air to create words. Instead, he looked up at her with a shell-shocked face, and gave Furiosa a single, hard nod.

~o~

Furiosa and Max sat in the corner of a wide couch, talking in quiet voices as the evening pulled to a close. Capable leaned against Nux on the chaise lounge, watching the moon blink from below heavy cloud cover. She pressed her face into Nux's neck and breathed deeply. He smelled of a day's toil and trees. In that moment, Capable couldn't believe the barren Wasteland was made up of anything other than life.

"War Rig," Nux whispered, his eyes glimmering when Capable looked up at him. Her head shifted slightly when he swallowed.

"I know! Amazing," Capable sighed.

"So we're gonna do this? Go on a rescue mission? Together?"

"Definitely."

Nux rested his chin against her braid. "But how do you know that I'll be okay to ride? That it'll work out?"

Capable shrugged. "I don't. But I know you, and know you can do it." She shifted around to smile up at him.

That seemed to satisfy Nux. However, at that moment came an odd tapping. It sounded like riddling bullets, but far away. Capable's heart tightened and she sat up straight.

All heads turned to seek the source of the noise or raid, while Furiosa jumped to her feet. Suddenly a loud, thunderous crack shook the foundation of the building. _Who could be attacking them?_

"Oh gods!" Cheedo cried.

Capable gripped her nails into Nux's forearm, who grimaced. Then she saw white streaks of light paint the clouds. _Just lightning! Thank gods_ , she thought _._ However, Capable's jaw fell open when the sky split open over the agricultural terraces. A massive blanket of rain poured into the greenery, making the tiny leaves dance. Everyone raced over to the balcony. Behind them, drips found their way through the roof, landing on metal plates covered in cake crumbs.

The group stared, frozen, until Capable took the first step forward. She grabbed Toast's hand and ran down the steps. The two stumbled through fields of plants that were having their first real drink in years, all the while giggling hysterically. The water covered the thirsty earth with dark spots until the entire ground was painted a dark brown. Capable gasped as the cool little harmless bullets tickled her salty skin.

"C'mon!" Toast shouted to the others.

A moment later the rest of the group followed. First cautiously, then excitedly as they skidded around in the growing mud.

At one point Toast slipped on her backside and shrieked. Cheedo cackled, so Toast reached up and dragged her friend down with her. The Dag didn't engage in the play; instead she stood on her own, hooting at the others' antics while her wet dress clung to her protruding belly.

Max, always the pragmatist, set out catchments for the fluid. He dumped the leftover food aside and placed basins under troughs to catch the rushing water. Meanwhile, the delightful whoops of excited War Boys and Wretcheds could be heard above the rain's drumming from the yard below.

Capable held onto Nux and stared straight up at the weeping sky. Squeezing his arm, she couldn't tell if this was tears or rain in her eyes. She let the rain spill between her teeth and lips, which were taut in a wide grin. The rain tasted as sweet and rich as any cake or wine.

Thunder crashed in the distance, but too far away to be a worry. Even Furiosa stood in the downpour, her eyes closed as droplets streaked like tears down her calm face.

The clouds moved east, and it wasn't long before the heavy rain slowed to a trickle. When the rain ceased, the group left the muddy gardens and sat on the glistening stairs in silence. All around them were basins and cups brimmed with the glorious liquid from the sky. They stayed hours into night, shivering and drunk on the rain, and hoping for a second shower that never fell.

~o~

Cheedo was the first to head to bed, followed by Max and Furiosa. The building gradually emptied out, and soon only Capable and Nux remained. They stood huddled against the railing, not wanting to risk missing the last drop. They swayed together, almost as if dancing to the music that had once been playing faintly in the background.

Capable pulled her own slick arms around herself, and her wet dress clung to her shoulders. Above them, birds darted around in the sky catching confused insects stirred up by the rain. "Nighthawks," Nux whispered.

"Yeah," Capable sighed. "That was unreal. I _never_ thought I'd live to see that."

While the rain washed away the humidity, it brought with it an unexpected chill. Capable soon began to shiver, so Nux wrapped himself around her. Wanting to get warmer, Capable turned herself around and reached her arms over his bare shoulders, which were slick with rainwater. She breathed in his scent, relishing this closeness she had thought she had lost forever. Her breath hitched as his hand traced down her back to the base of her spine. As Nux pressed his core closer to her, she felt herself trembling. Before she knew it, her lips were pressed to his. They tasted of rain.

Parted her mouth slightly with a gasp, Nux lifted Capable up and held her against the railing. Her exposed back touched cold metal, making her shiver. However, Nux's closeness caused a sudden tightening in her chest, and she had a flash of grimacing teeth.

She pulled herself down to her feet. "The rain stopped," she stuttered, trying to find sound.

"Yeah," he replied with grit in his voice, standing patiently.

They stood that way for a moment. Capable's throat felt tight, though whether from fear or excitement she couldn't say. The fallout from their last attempt at intimacy was still fresh in her mind. Would it happen again? However, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Nux is here with me, not that monster._ Instead of trying to push away the flash of teeth, she thought about how warm Nux felt now compared to the chilly breeze, and the way his fingers danced absently up her shoulder blade…

Finding her courage again, Capable stepped up onto her toes to kiss his bottom lip. He gently touched the small of her back, and it sent waves of heat into her belly. "Hold on," she whispered.

Capable broke from the warmth of Nux's embrace and made her way to the back room, where she dug around in old wooden crates. She found a large grey duvet blanket, which she wrapped around her rain-soaked skin before meeting a shivering Nux on the lounge. Under Nux's gaze in the moonlight's glow, Capable carefully lifted off her wet dress and discarded it on a table. She scrambled under the blanket and pressed against him in her underclothes, watching the greenery shiver in the moonlight.

For a few minutes they rested like this on the lounge, unmoving. Capable's throat was strangely parched considering how much rain she had drunk from the sky. Capable glanced up to where the ivy pushed through the skylight. Her mind felt hazy with lust and starlight shining down through the sand-grounded glass. A droplet hit her cheek. "Your roof's mostly holding up."

Nux caught a drop on his scarred lip.

"How does it taste?" Capable asked, recalling her own tin of catchment water.

"Rusty," he grinned. He wrapped him arms around her bare waist, and she felt him press his lips into her neck.

Capable's heart raced, flooding with excitement and a single droplet of fear. That grimace in the back of her skull would likely never go away. However, as the pleasant sensations grew from his touches, it was easier to keep from letting that violence consume her. Those shadows might always be following, always chasing, but perhaps she would sometimes outrun them. Tonight, she could leave them rotting in the dark while enjoying the rays of light from Nux's hand caressing her bare skin.

Finding new courage, Capable shifted herself onto his lap and kissed him again. Capable drew her hand up to caresses the stubble of his cheek, moving her mouth away briefly before placing gentle kisses against his jaw. This seemed to ignite something inside him, and he pulled her closer to his chest. As she swayed against him in waves, Nux kneaded her hipbones before drawing circles up her belly and ribs with his thumb. After a deep breath, Capable guided his hands to her garments, helping him both slide off the wet material. Once disrobed, Nux looked away from her, hesitant, until she turned his face back to herself.

"Hey. It's okay," she whispered.

Encouraged, Nux began to initiate rather than follow, laying Capable down against the lounge and shifting over until they fit perfectly together. Nux huffed and paused to look at her, clearly mesmerized.

Soon the rest of their garments lay scattered to the earth, and Capable swallowed, desperate to finally be closer to him than humanly possible. As Nux kissed her neck and chest, she could feel her own breath fracturing to the point of breaking. His own chest panting, Nux lifted his shoulders slightly to meet her gaze, and used his free hand to push a wet lock of her hair from her cheek. "This is…alright?"

"Just shine," she smiled.

At those words, Nux leaned in close. With half-open eyes, Capable gazed beyond to the stunning starscape showing the first hints of an emerging dawn. The stars beckoned for attention, but with all the warmth of the universe currently beneath that blanket, she didn't care to listen.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Sorry for the delay. So this is it, the final chapter!**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY: Capable.**

Capable woke one morning with Nux resting behind her, around her, everywhere, in the comfort of their room. This was life now, just as it had been since her monumental decision to _stay._ Since the night of the great downpour three weeks earlier, it had been a Full-Life spilling with all the wonderful things that she had once thought lost.

After some time struggling to drift off again, Capable gently removed herself from Nux's arms and set the blankets down as to not wake him. The bedding had slipped down to his waist, and she could just see a knife cut on his hipbone…one of the many injuries still healing from the confrontation with Flay weeks earlier. In the dim light, she could make out the circular scar on his arm from where the medical port had once been, now a permanent reminder of his own victory. Nux twitched slightly, but heavy breathing suggested he was in a deep sleep. Capable shook her head in disbelief. How could he be sleeping so soundly on a day like today?

While the cold nipped her bare legs, Capable tiptoed across the granite floor to snatch up a heavy shawl. It had been a chilly night, and the sun's rays had yet to reach their room. Wrapping the soft fabric tight around her naked form, she stepped through the heavy glass balcony door held ajar by a piece of an axle.

She rested her arms across the railing, admiring the morning desert. Out to the east, the first hints of sun peaked out behind the canyon, its ridges stretched out across the Badlands in long, fingers-like shadows. With the first touches of sun on the sand, the landscape was painted a deep shade of red, like rust.

 _How could somewhere so desolate still look so beautiful?_ Capable thought, shivering and pulling the wool shawl closer. The yard was empty and silent, save for the faint whistle of wind between the monoliths.

Once her bare legs began to tremble, Capable left the balcony and scurried back inside to find that Nux hadn't moved. His one arm still lay stretched across the empty side of the bed in her absence.

" _We should probably get up soon,"_ she sighed to herself, crawling back under the covers. However, the warmth beneath those sheets welcomed her, blurring each word into the other. _It's an important day…we should probably…probably…_

Soon the comfort of the blankets and Nux's form next to her washed away the last of those thoughts, and she quickly dozed off again.

~o~

When the morning light from the east finally spilled in through their dusty windows, Capable woke to Nux stirring. The back of her neck tickled from his warm breath.

"Cape?" he whispered.

Inhaling softly, she turned over to face him, meeting his blue eyes cloudy with sleep.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" he asked.

"It's alright," she hummed in response. Capable stroked the slight stubble on his jaw. "Ready to take on today?"

Nux exhaled and rubbed his face. "Don't think I'll ever be ready."

"You will," Capable reassured him. "Speaking of which, we probably should get down to the bay soon and start preparing."

"Right." Nux agreed. However, instead of getting up, he wrapped his arm over Capable and pulled her closer to him.

"This isn't getting ready!" Capable giggled in protest, but let herself relax into his embrace. "Hey, why don't we get rations first? They do a special meal on convoy day."

"Not sure I could even eat," Nux mumbled into her locks.

"Alright. But if we don't get ready soon, they might drive off without us!" Capable teased, trying to convince herself to get up as much as him. The cool air on her face created a sharp contrast to the warmth beneath the blankets, making the thought of leaving impossible.

"Too comfortable," Nux sighed. "Can't we just stay here? They can go without us."

"Don't even joke!" Capable laughed. "You've worked too hard for this. We both have."

Nux turned his head and grumbled something into the pillow. Capable frowned. This clearly wasn't just about comfort.

"Nux, it'll be okay. You've got this. C'mon, hon," she pleaded, but Nux responded by pulling her across him and drawing the blankets higher.

Capable sighed in defeat. However, with his arms wrapped around her waist, she suddenly realized that warmth was a perfectly acceptable excuse to stay. Capable let her eyes grow heavy again.

Just as sleep began to retake her, a loud knock sounded at the door, startling both of them. Capable groaned. After managing to pull herself from the bed, she tossed on some clothes and made her way to the door.

"Oh. Hey." Toast smirked, eying Capable's ruffled hair and inside-out shirt. Toast tried to peek behind her friend, but Capable quickly narrowed the door behind her.

Toast raised her brow. "Are you both seriously still in bed? Today, of all days? _Aren't you ready yet_?"

"We're up!" Nux grumbled, now moving about from inside the room.

Toast pushed the door fully open, and for a brief moment Capable's heart ceased beating. To her immense, relief, Nux had slipped on some army shorts.

"Hey, Toast!" Capable balked at her friend's slightly disappointed face. "Some privacy please?"

Toast shook her head. "Ha, alright. But you better get down soon. Furiosa's been asking after you." Noticing the pins and splints in Nux's exposed leg, Toast raised her brow. "Nux, you sure you're gonna be okay on the road for four weeks?"

"I can do it," he beamed. He only had a month or so to go before the brace could be removed, but he was finally walking like it wasn't even there.

"Good. Cape, better watch this one," Toast grinned. "He's part machine now."

~o~

A few hours later, Capable made her last trip down from the medical wing with a duffle bag full of supplies and her own gear. She was on her way to the engine bay, where the convoy would be getting the final cars ready for the rescue mission out West. Crowds of boisterous War Boys rushed past her through the narrow stairwell, their powdered skin so fresh that they left behind plumes of white dust.

It wasn't long before Capable reached the familiar hanger, her heart racing from the heavy bag and her nerves. However, the room was almost unrecognizable. The mechanical chaos and absence of the War Rig made it difficult to gain her bearings. After some scouting, she spotted the mission's War Boys at the far end of the hall. Nux stood with a few of them near the V8 shrine in a small cavern, where many were occupied with coating their skin with wet clay. Nux stood apart on his own, seemingly oblivious to those busy in worship.

Capable strode over to greet him, but she stopped abruptly at the sight of his white skin. For a brief moment, she had a flash of that pale, sickly Boy that she dragged out from the wreckage _._ However, the man before her was not that fading life ready for the Gates. She shook the image and approached his side.

"Hey!" Capable chirped and touched the small of Nux's back. "Getting on okay?"

Nux turned to her with wide, unsettled eyes. "Think so," he replied, though his shaky voice betrayed him.

He clutched a rag smeared with black grease in his right hand, which he eyed uncertainty. Nux shifted awkwardly and looked to the ground. "No mirrors. Usually, Slit…" he started, his voice catching slightly in his throat.

"I know," Capable nodded. "Here, let me help," she whispered, and gently took the rag from his hand.

Capable drew two fingers through the black oil. She reached up to Nux's brow, and after a moment's hesitation, shaded the bridge of his nose. Next, her fingers delicately traced around his eyes, which fluttered close from her touch.

After some dabs of black, she finished with a faint smear under each of his cheekbones. Capable took a step back to admire her handiwork. Perhaps a bit clean for a War Boy's liking, but still his skull transformation was complete. Capable's stomach fluttered, and she was surprised to find his grotesque war paint both intimidating and oddly alluring. Suddenly before her stood a soldier. _No…a veteran._

Nux tipped his head in thanks, then returned to his preparations. Capable watched as he tossed his scattered tools in a bag, dropping them repeatedly with shaking hands. At that moment, the War Rig's horn sounded, followed by the hooting of War Boys.

"That's our signal," Nux croaked. He shouldered his bag and made to head out into the yard, but was met by resistance. Capable was holding onto his wrist.

"Nux. _It's okay._ You've got this." She smiled and slid her hand into his palm. "They already know what you can do. They'll follow you, wherever you go."

Nux smiled softly, and some of the tension left his shoulders. "Promise you'll keep reminding me of that, yeah?"

"Of course! Why else would I be going?" Capable laughed.

He grinned, then readjusted their hands so that his own knit with hers. The two entered the yard together with fingers entwined, but soon had to part to find their own groups for final preparations. Capable spotted the other medics and nurse aids standing next to the medical Humvee, and so she began making her way through the yard towards them.

As she approached, the crowd in the yard grew more thunderous. There were bodies everywhere in her path, all eager to witness the convoy's departure. Seeing the immensity of it all, suddenly her words to Nux didn't feel so certain. _Would_ they be okay? Capable's throat knotted. Just as she began growing dizzy from the crowd, a voice drew her attention.

"There you are, love!" Ruin called and briskly caught up to her on her cane. "I was just ready to send a search party for you!"

Capable grinned at the doctor. "Sorry. I was just in the wing. Had to make a pit stop." She gestured to Nux near the War Rig. "Here's the last med kits. I threw in the extra syringes since it looked like we'd be short."

"Good!" Ruin smiled, and led Capable to the group of eight somewhat familiar men and women assembled near a Humvee.

"Alright my darlings," Ruin began, "who's ready to go save some lives?"

As Capable listened to Ruin's short pep talk to the other medics and nurse aids, that knot returned to her throat. Did they believe this ex-wife was fit for the harsh bush? Did they think she even belonged?

Capable's thoughts were interrupted when an arm draped over her shoulders and gave a small squeeze. "How ya goin', love? Pumped for our next road trip together?"

Capable looked up to see that familiar face bearing a cleft lip and a constant smile.

"Definitely, Skarde," Capable beamed, her heart instantly relaxing.

"Good." Skarde let go and leaned against the Humvee. "We'll be 'right, for sure. No one's touching us with that beast," he nodded towards the War Rig. "Jus' promise you'll tell me if you're planning on taking off on your own again, yeah? Ain't that right, Ruin?" he called out to the doctor.

Ruin gave an audible groan, and Capable laughed. "I won't, don't worry."

"Worrying is all I'm gonna do." Ruin came to stand next to Skarde. "Lords help me, the next four weeks I'm going to be nervous wreck."

Capable audibly sighed. "Ruin, you don't have to worry about me this time. I have a gun, plus I'm _supposedly_ one of the Boys now. "

Ruin shook her head and laughed, sending her long braids of black hair spinning. "It's not you I'm worried about. You're more than capable. Heck, that name of yours doesn't do half justice for you, honey." Ruin's eyes made their way to the War Rig, where Nux clamoured on top of the vehicle for the last check-up. "No, you watch after that Boy...make sure he comes back with just one broken leg, hmm?"

"Of course," Capable laughed, blushing. At that moment she caught sight of Furiosa by the Rig, waving her over with her metal arm. Capable grabbed her bag, nodded goodbye, and made to leave with Skarde, when Ruin pulled her into a large, motherly embrace. Capable's face was pressed into her warm scrubs, which smelled of iodine and sweat, and something oddly like home. Capable closed her eyes, savoring the familiarity.

When they parted, Ruin brushed her cheek. "Off you go, War Girl."

~o~

It was just after midday by the time the dozen convoy vehicles shuddered at the ready. Furiosa's had spread the leather map across the hood of the jeep and was reviewing the route again with Nux. "From here you could trace the path West 'till Barter Town, then up the ridge through the northern pass." Furiosa drew her finger across the worn hide. "I find this pass is easier than the main road, but the rock debris might get under your skin. It's up to you, though."

Capable, Max, the other ex-wives, and some generals looked on, throwing in the occasional question. One general pointed to the far edge of the map, a few dozen miles from where they would be heading. "What's this blue land?"

"That's the Ocean. Salt water," Furiosa clarified, suppressing a grin.

With that word, Nux threw Capable an exhilarated glance before returning his attention to the map. Capable felt the first thrums of excitement. She was ready to expand her world, mile by mile.

"Alright," Furiosa nodded. "Ready to roll out?"

After a murmur of agreement, Nux hopped off the jeep and led the way to the War Rig. Grabbing her gear, Capable followed behind him with the others. She was stunned to discover that getting to the Rig might be a little difficult. During their meeting, it seemed that the entire Citadel had emptied into the yard to witness the war machine's maiden mission.

Nux and Capable walked through the excited crowd, parting a sea of Wretcheds and War Pups who stared on in fascination. Capable paid them little attention, for her eyes were locked on Nux. He seemed to move differently, as if the scar tissue and metal running up his leg made him carry himself with the height and gait of a veteran.  
Other than the occasional scowl, the Wars Boys in their path cheered, saluted, and slapped his back in congratulations. All stepped out of his way.

As they approached the War Rig, Capable spotted one particular man standing amid a crowd of Wretcheds, and instantly her skin grew cold. A thick-jawed man, broad set and bearing only one eye. Capable almost didn't recognize Flay with his cleaned skin and low-ranking clothing, the signs of a War Boy starting from scratch. Capable stiffened, but Nux kept his pace towards Flay. The two locked eyes mere feet from each other, and Capable watched with baited breath. To her astonishment, Flay gave Nux a small, V8 salute.

The group continued onwards through the crowd, but Capable was so distracted by Flay that she had yet to notice the monster before them. _The War Rig._ The vehicle stood dead center in the yard, encircled by the dozen vehicles of the convoy. The War Rig had a completely new tanker and cabin, with the addition of larger turrets and a hydraulic winch at the rear. Capable had seen the progress many times in the engine bay, but the way Nux had gone on about it, Capable had suspected he had been a tad enamoured. However, looking upon it freshly painted, mechanically enhanced, and towering in its desert element, Capable realized she may have been mistaken. _That's not a vehicle._ Capable thought. _That's a god._

As they approached the cabin, faces from the crowd stared on in admiration and curiosity at the ex-traitor and this ex-slave by his side. Nux didn't appear to notice though. "This is real?" he asked her, his voice raspy.

Capable laughed. "Yes, this is real."

Furiosa appeared behind them, with Max supporting – _or holding?_ – her by the side. She stood taller now, no longer hunching.

In her hand was the shiny steering wheel, newly forged and bearing a grinning skull in the center. Without a word she handed it to Nux, who took it with delicate care as if it the steel might shatter in his grasp.

Nux bowed his shoulders to her and climbed up first, followed by Skarde and some War Boys. Capable watched Nux shift in the driver's seat and lock in the wheel. He gently traced his hands around its curve, his ocean-filled eyes dazzling from the machine under his fingertips.

Seeing him in his element, she felt strangely dizzy. _Toast was right,_ Capable thought. He was part machine now, and he was with his kind. Just like the War Rig, he had been dragged back from the Gates of death to be repaired.

Capable threw her main bag in the back storage, which was heavy with assorted medical equipment. There was also a second bag containing some non-essentials for those quiet desert nights with the rest of the crew…including a Record Play. Just as she was about to climb up too, Cheedo, Toast and The Dag appeared behind her.

"So you're really leaving then, eh?" The Dag smirked. "I thought you were just mucking with us." She climbed onto the edge of the War Rig to peer through the open window, her bulging belly pressed against the door. "Nice fix. Looks better now without all of Nux's blood on the cushions."

"Hilarious," Capable scowled as The Dag carefully stepped down.

Toast stood with crossed arms, frowning and holding a box. "Just a few weeks, right?" she asked and Capable nodded.

"You'll call us on the radio?" The Dag pleaded, taking Capable's hand in an oddly delicate way.

"Of course. Every night, if I can."

The women chatted for a few minutes, and Capable did her best to suppress a growing lump in her throat and the burning behind her eyes. The lump grew larger when Cheedo handed her a bag of homemade treats for the ride to supplement rations. Capable did everything in her power not to think about how this would be the furthest and longest she would be away from her sisters in eight years. Can one even live for that long without those people who keep your heart beating?  
Just as she began to feel her composure cracking, she spotted Max near his motorcycle, who would be leading the pack as a scout. Max was busy strapping a satchel on his motorcycle when she saw Furiosa approach him. Curious, Capable kept one eye on the pair as she conversed with the girls. She watched Max step around his ride to stand close to Furiosa, but a War Boy passed in front before Capable could see what was happening. Frustrated, Capable craned her neck, and suddenly saw the two holding each other tight, their lips pressed.

Stunned, Capable stood staring for a moment before she returned her attention to the girls, immediately noticing their sullen expressions. "It's okay!" She cooed, "We'll be back before you know it, this time with a bunch of traumatized people," she smirked. "They'll fit right in."

"Alright," Toast frowned. "And here. For the ride." She handed a small woven box over to Capable. Inside were fresh cherries resting in a bed of blossoms. "Nux'll love them."

Capable felt her heart jump at the sight of the beautiful fruit, and nodded in thanks.

"Gods I hate how much I hate this whole thing," Toast groaned. "You'll be careful, right? You won't do anything stupid?"

Capable shrugged and stepped towards the cabin. "When have I ever?"

"I'm serious, Cape! You'll be safe. You promise?" she pleaded, her voice cracking.

"Hey, I've got Nux and Max." Capable placed her hand on Toast's neck and leaned in to press her forehead against her friend's own. She took a deep breath, doing everything in her power to hold back the tears, to no avail. "And of course, I promise."

After a moment they released each other. "And promise you won't cry, okay Sis?" Capable croaked through her own tears.

Toast let out a laugh and wiped her wet face with her arm. "Done."

At that moment Furiosa appeared beside them, which meant that it was time to go. The other women picked up on this too, and instantly smothered Capable with hugs.

Capable turned her focus to Furiosa, ready to hear her leader's final words of advice. Furiosa placed a hand on Capable's shoulder. "Those men, and the girls out there…Bring them back safe, okay?"

Capable reached out a hand to shake, but Furiosa pulled her into a soft embrace. Capable relaxed and closed her eyes, forgetting the crowd of cheering bodies around them. She flew back to the moment when Furiosa took her hand and pulled her from the Vault, down the Fury Road, and into her new Full-Life. They parted. "Just... _Thank you,_ " was all Capable could muster.

Furiosa gave her a nod, her eyes shining bright olive once again. Capable took this moment to turn to the Rig and began to step up. She looked up to Nux, and felt her heart flutter at the sight before her…his outstretched hand. Just like his kind gesture that brought them together that night on the salt flats. Capable accepted his hand and was quickly pulled up. She crawled over him and into the vacant passenger seat, while Skarde sat behind her with two War Boy nurse aids sorting through their gear.

The cabin was just as roomy as she remembered. Some of the seats were patched and replaced, and the intricate ceiling bore a new chrome veneer. After waving to her sisters below, she looked out her window and watched the rest of the crew, a handful of War Boys decorated in weapons and tumors, climb up the tanker to the roof.

Furiosa's face appeared at the driver's side window, holding onto the frame. "You still remember the sequence?"

Nux nodded, his expression numb. Capable watched as Nux flicked the hidden switches in quick succession, as if he had done it a thousand times before, and started the ignition. The vehicle roared to life, followed by the holler of men crawling over its midst. The low thunder in its belly vibrated up into Capable's stiff hand on the dash.  
Furiosa hopped down, tapped the painted skeleton door and made her way over to Max on his motorcycle.

With her signal, the entire convoy of vehicles rumbled at the ready. Nux looked over to Capable, eyes uncertain again. "Well?"

Capable smirked. "Fang it, Nux."

Nux nodded, then kicked the gas. The machine instantly lurched forward, snarling and furious, and Nux's lips immediately turned up into a huge grin. The sea of curious onlookers parted for the War Rig, and immediately all other heavy vehicles followed suit. Spectating War Boys bellowed in delight all around, chasing after the War Rig and hopping on and off the tanker as it rumbled forward. Behind them, the Humvees, trucks, and armored coupes decked out with an assortment of guns honked and growled. However, their noise was muted by the War Rigs thundering twin V8 engine. They were mere pups in the great beast's midst. Capable watched out the window as her strange, adoptive family faded into the faces of the crowd. However, she was surprised to find that she no longer felt that choking sadness.

The convoy reached the gates, and Nux barreled the War Rig into the open Wasteland and onto the Fury Road. The hollers of excitement from the crew crawling over the War Rig's new tanker joined in with the massive machine's roar.

Capable's chest thrummed painfully with excitement, her own heart fueled by both adrenaline and the tart scent of guzzoline in the air. The War Rig sped along with a strange elegance under Nux's hand, who seemed to be able to read every contour in the terrain and chatter from the engine. To be moving again felt _so goddamn good_. Capable opened her mouth to speak, but only shaking breaths came out.

The rough breeze tugged at Capable's vibrant braids, so she pulled her goggles up to keep loose strands from getting into her eyes. Peering out her window, she could just see Max match the Rig's speed, his motorcycle spraying a pinwheel of sand in his wake. In a few miles before Gas Town they would be making a turn west off the Fury Road, to Barter Town and beyond. As her world grew bigger, the wide, empty desert seemed to exhale.

Ten cars nipped the War Rig's heels, carrying the dozens of fanatic and obscene men that were slowly becoming Capable's trusted brothers. She admired their coordination like birds on the wing, reading each other's subtle movements with an artful skill beyond simple bravado. This was a delicate dance of machine, with Nux taking the lead.

Nux's face was locked in concentration, yet his eyes were filled with unfathomable awe. After a few minutes, Capable switched spots with Skarde to prepare her gear and crawled into the back seat behind Nux. She leaned forward into the driver's seat and squeezed Nux's bare arm in encouragement, while they flew on wings of steel and oil.

She looked up ahead at the beautiful expanse of tangerine dunes, painted with swirls of iron dust. A tiny porcelain seagull with a silver face sat on a spring on the dashboard, nodding in approval.

"Think we'll see the ocean?" Capable whispered, stroking Nux's arm.

"Gods, I hope," he smiled. Capable placed a small kiss on his powdered cheek.

She peered out through Nux's window to the passing landscape, where the eastern canyon slept in the distance. In the dusty side mirror, she just could see the monoliths of the Citadel growing smaller and smaller in the distance. Capable felt a smile grace her lips. After all, this wasn't a goodbye. This was just the beginning.  
Wrapping her arms tight around Nux's shoulders, Capable returned her gaze forward. The War Rig flew onward, churning up dust on this road that would always lead her home.

 _The end._

* * *

 **~o~  
**

 ** ** **EPILOGUE: I decided to create two paintings as a visual prologue and epilogue to this story, and have included the links in my profile. (You can also see it on my Tumblr, _dark-and-endless-sky_ )******

 **Can't believe it's done! Thank you so much for reading along and for providing encouragement along the way. It has been a joy to write and to engage with fellow Mad Max fans, and your support over the year has motivated me complete my first 100,000+ story. I'm so thrilled!**

 **Once again, a HUGE thank you to my beta reader, BlueSky509, who stuck with me the whole way. You gave so much of your time and taught me so much, helping me grow as a writer. The visual epilogue is a tribute to you.**

 ** **Thank you all again, it's been a shine ride!  
****


End file.
